Issue - meetings

To approve the Council’s Housing Revenue Account Budget for the Municipal Year 2021/22.

The Cabinet met on 3^rd February 2021 to consider the attached report on the Housing Revenue Account – Rents and Charges 2021/22.

Cabinet Minute 47 relating to this report is attached (Pages 147 to 148).

The Council considered (a) a joint report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety and the Corporate Director, Communities and Housing, concerning the proposed Housing Revenue Account – Rents and Charges 2020/21, and (b) Minute 47 of the Cabinet (Housing Revenue Account – Rents and Charges 2021/22).

Councillor Cathy Martyn moved and Councillor David Renard seconded:

“That Council approves that:

(1) That the proposed average social rent for Housing Revenue Account (HRA) dwellings for 2021/22 of £82.55 per week (52 week basis), which is an increase of 1.5%, be approved. This will be an average increase of £1.22 per week (on a 52 week basis). The range of increases are shown in paragraph 3.7 of the joint report.
(2) That the Director of Housing be authorised to seek authority from the Secretary of State to extend permission to provide a budget of £200,000 within the HRA for payments to Council’s tenants under the Discretionary Housing Payments scheme in 2021/22 as detailed at paragraphs 3.22 of the joint report.
(3) That the housing related support charges for 2021/22 and service charges for 2021/22 as outlined in Appendix 2 be approved.
(4) That the leaseholder service charges are set for 2021/22 as shown in Appendix 3 of the joint report be approved.
(5) That based on the proposals within this report, the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) proposed budget 2021/22, shown in Appendix 4, be approved and that the HRA Capital Budget and Funding as shown in Appendix 5 of the joint report be approved.
(6) That the draft 5 year capital projects and planned maintenance programme be approved at an indicative funding level of £16.0m (2020/21 prices) for 2021/22 Appendix 5 of the joint report.

(7) That the revision to the budget for the two bungalow schemes in the New

Development Programme of £800,000 included in Appendix 5 pf the report reflecting additional costs associated with the Council’s commitment to delivering low carbon energy efficient homes be approved.
(8) That the Director of Housing be authorised to undertake a new acquisition programme and approve the acquisition programme budget of £8m for 2021/22 in accordance with paragraph 3.18 of the joint report, to include the purchase of 1-4 bedroom properties to help meet priority housing needs arising from homelessness and clients supported by Adult Social Care.
(9) That rents charged on General Fund properties be increased in line with the Government’s Direction on the Rent Standard 2019 also applied to Housing Revenue Account rents. This allows for rent increases of up to the CPI for the September of the preceding financial year, plus 1%. Increases for 2020/21 will therefore be capped at 1.5%.

(10) That service charges for General Fund properties for 2021/22, as shown in Appendix 7 of the joint report be approved.
(11) That the charges for Private Sector Leased (PSL) accommodation for those accepted as homeless once published by the Government and as set out in Appendix 6 of the joint report be approved.
(12) That any underspend  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85

Councillor Cathy Martyn, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety along with the Director of Housing submitted a joint report setting out the proposed rents, service charges, support charges for 2021/22 and proposed Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2021/22.

Councillor Martyn introduced the joint report setting out the outcome of the on-line consultations on a 1.5% rent increase. The Cabinet Member also informed colleagues about the impact of four years of government-mandated rent reductions, and the ongoing pressures on the maintenance and repair programme because of the loss of income. Councillor Martyn drew Members’ attention to the specific modifications and improvements that were being made to homes to help meet the Council’s carbon reduction targets.

Councillors Emma Bushell and Jim Grant asked the Cabinet Member about when the work on the two high-rise blocks, first put forward in 2015/16, would take place as their condition is continuing to deteriorate. Councillor Martyn responded that this would be addressed in an options report that she would bring to Cabinet in the 2021/22 financial year.

Councillor Keith Williams, the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, welcomed how the Council owned-housing was ahead of the private sector in being improved to improve energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint.

Resolved: (1) That Council be recommended to approve the proposed average social rent for Housing Revenue Account (HRA) dwellings for 2021/22 of £82.55 per week (52 week basis), which is an increase of 1.5% (£1.22 per week per average dwelling). The range of increases is shown in paragraph 3.7.

(2) That the Director of Housing be authorised to seek authority from the Secretary of State to extend permission to continue providing a budget of £200k within the HRA for payments to Council’s tenants under the Discretionary Housing Payments scheme in 2021/22 as detailed at paragraphs 3.22.

(3) That the housing related support charges for 2021/22 and service charges for 2021/22 as outlined in Appendix 2 be approved.

(4) That the leaseholder service charges for 2021/22 as shown in Appendix 3 be approved.

(5) That both the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) proposed budget 2021/22, set out in Appendix 4, and the HRA Capital Budget and Funding as set out in Appendix 5 be approved.

(6) That the draft 5 year capital projects and planned maintenance programme at an indicative funding level of £16.0m (2020/21 prices) for 2021/22 as shown in Appendix 5 be approved.

(7) That the revision to the budget for the two bungalow schemes in the New Development Programme of £800k included in Appendix 5 be approved, reflecting additional costs associated with our commitment to delivering low carbon energy efficient homes.

(8) That the Director of Housing be authorised to undertake a new acquisition programme and approves the acquisition programme budget of £8m for 2021/22 in accordance with paragraph 3.18, to include the purchase of 1-4 bedroom properties to help meet priority housing needs arising from homelessness and clients supported by Adult Social Care.

(9) That the increase in rents charged on General  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47