Issue - meetings

That Council be recommended to approve:

1)         the Housing Revenue Account budget;

2)         Council house dwelling rents be reduced by 1% effective from April 2019 in line with the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2015;

3)         garage rents be increased by 3.70% effective from April 2019 in line with Council fees and charge;

4)         Shared Equity Rents will be increased by 3.27% based on September RPI, effective from April 2019;

5)         Tenant Service Charges are set in line with estimated costs.

6)         the Housing Major Repairs (capital) programme for 2019/20 as set out in Appendix C.

7)        Sheltered room guest charges increase from £9.00 per night to £9.50 per night.

The Executive considered a report setting out the proposed Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2019/20.

When introducing the report the Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing explained that the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) was a ring fenced account which meant that it must be self-financing and expenditure must be paid for by the tenants through rent and service charges.  In addition HRA expenditure could not be funded by council tax and similarly HRA income should not be used to pay for general fund services.

Following a query by Councillor Weeks Councillor Batth confirmed that in accordance with the Government’s previous requirement, which was introduced in 2015, the Council had been obliged to reduce council house rents by 1% over the last three years however this was the final year that the Council had to do so.

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to approve:

1)         the Housing Revenue Account budget;

2)         Council house dwelling rents be reduced by 1% effective from April 2019 in line with the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2015;

3)         garage rents be increased by 3.70% effective from April 2019 in line with Council fees and charge;

4)         Shared Equity Rents will be increased by 3.27% based on September RPI, effective from April 2019;

5)         Tenant Service Charges are set in line with estimated costs.

6)         the Housing Major Repairs (capital) programme for 2019/20 as set out in Appendix C.

7)        Sheltered room guest charges increase from £9.00 per night to £9.50 per night.