Issue - meetings

That it be recommended to Council*:

1.    That the 2023/24 Housing Revenue Account budget be approved, as detailed in Appendices 1 and 2 to report CAB3387.

2.    That the 10-year indicative HRA capital programme be approved, as set out in Appendices 3 and 4 to report CAB3387.

3.    That capital expenditure in 2023/24 of £9.530m for the Maintenance, Improvement and Renewal programme be approvedas detailed in Appendix 3 of the report, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rule 7.4.

4.    That the proposed budget in 2023-24 for new homes of £20.518m be approved as detailed in Appendix 4 of the report, subject to individual scheme approvals

5.    That the proposed indicative funding for the HRA Capital Programme be approved as detailed in Appendix 5 of the report.

6.    That the HRA Financial Plan operating account extract, including annual working balances, be noted as detailed in Appendix 6 of the report. 

7.    That the proposal to fund £0.400m for the new initiatives detailed in section 13.1 of the report be supported, which includes funding for additional staff resources to support the actions identified and the creation of a new disrepairs claims budget of £0.100m.

8.    That it be agreed to continue the provision of the Welfare Support budget of £0.215m and to refocus this on measures to support vulnerable tenants to maintain their tenancies during this period of unprecedented cost pressures.

9.    That a rent increase of 7% from April 2023 for Social and Affordable housing within the HRA for existing tenants be approved.

10.That a cap on the average overall increase for tenant service charges in 2023-24 of 7% be approved.

11.That in recognition of the Cost-of-Living crisis, a discretionary 7% cap on the annual rent increase for Shared Owners be approved, in line with the increase in social and affordable rents to existing tenants as opposed to 13.1% increase that would have been applied.

12.That in principle to the HRA funding approximately £3.5m from the unallocated New Homes budget be approved, in order to meet any grant requirements to acquire 17 properties in accordance with the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) grant conditions, as detailed in Section 19.5 of the report.

*NB recommendations to Council are not subject to call-in.

Councillor Ferguson and the Corporate Head of Housing responded to comments made, including explaining that spending plans were set out in section 13.1 of the report and the work already underway and phased work plans on the retrofit programme.  The proposed increase in the Property Services team was required to meet the demands of the new Building Safety requirements, together with the aim to take a more preventative approach to housing repairs and maintenance.  The Housing Finance Manager answered the query in relation to the homelessness budget.

The Chief Executive provided an update of the matters discussed during consideration of this report at Scrutiny Committee on 7 February 2023 which were noted by Cabinet.  The Committee did not forward any issues for the attention of Cabinet.

Cabinet noted an amendment required to recommendation 12 of the report to correct the reference to paragraph 19.5.  There were a number of other minor corrections which would be made prior to the report being submitted to Council for approval.

Cabinet agreed to the following for the reasons set out above and outlined in the report.

RECOMMENDED (TO COUNCIL):

1.              That the 2023/24 Housing Revenue Account budget be approved, as detailed in Appendices 1 and 2 to the report.

2.              That the 10-year indicative HRA capital programme be approved, as set out in Appendices 3 and 4 to the report.

3.              That capital expenditure in 2023/24 of £9.530m for the Maintenance, Improvement and Renewal programme be approved as detailed in Appendix 3 of the report, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rule 7.4.

4.              That the proposed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7

Report reference: SC082 and CAB3387

Recommendation.

It is recommended that scrutiny committee comment on the proposals within the attached cabinet report, ref CAB3387 which is to be considered by cabinet at its meeting on the 9 February 2023.

Councillor Ferguson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community and Housing introduced the report, ref SC082 and CAB3387 which set out proposals for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget 2023/24 which was available on the council’s website here.

The committee was recommended to comment on the proposals within the

attached cabinet report, ref CAB3387 which was to be considered by the cabinet at its meeting on 9 February 2023.

The committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the report, in summary, the following matters were raised.

1.             Further information was sought regarding the delivery of the new homes programme.

2.             The issues and trade-offs around the setting of the rent cap and minimising additional hardship for tenants.

3.             The number of residents needing to access the welfare support budget.

4.             The availability of Government funding to support the council's retrofit programme.

5.             The funding and capacity for nutrient mitigation & delivery of new homes.                                                                             

6.             Grant conditions for the provision of properties under the local authority housing fund.

7.             Whether a rise in garage rents was anticipated.

8.             The use of right to buy receipts.

9.             Further clarification regarding the movement in the housing management special homelessness budget 2022/23 and 2023/24.

10.          The need for additional communications regarding the availability of the welfare fund.

11.          Clarification regarding the funding and future use of homes being used for displaced Ukrainian families.

These points were responded to by Councillor Ferguson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community and Housing, Gillian Knight, Corporate Head of Housing, Dick Johnson, Finance Manager: Housing, and Simon Hendey, Strategic Director accordingly and were noted by Councillor Ferguson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community and Housing.

RESOLVED

1.    That the report be noted

2.    That officers note the two points of detail below:

·       That an amendment be made in paragraph 13.2, that it should read “E & D”

·       That an amendment be made to paragraph 12, that it should refer to paragraph 19.5

3.    That the committee supported the proposal to maximise communications in newsletters etc to ensure tenants were aware of the support available.

4.    That cabinet considers all the committee’s comments raised during the discussion of the item.