Agenda item

Report of the Managing Director

The Cabinet Member with the Housing, Health and Partnerships Portfolio introduced the report of the Managing Director (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to the proposals for the revenue budget, rent levels and service charges for the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for the financial year 2019/20,in the context of the HRA Medium Term Financial Plan to 2022/23, and the 30 year Business Plan.

The submitted report stated that the Government had introduced a compulsory one per cent reduction in social and affordable rents for four years commencing in 2016/17, through the Welfare Reform and Work Bill 2015, and as a result, all Council tenants would receive an average 61p reduction in weekly rent.

RESOLVED – That the following be approved for consultation, namely that:-

(a)  an average weekly social rent reduction of 1 per cent for 2019/20 be implemented giving an average social rent of £70.53 and affordable rent of £77.92;

(b)  garage rents and service charges be increased, as shown in Table 3 of the submitted report;

(c)  the budget, as set out in Appendix 1 of the submitted report, be approved; and

(d)  the Housing Business Plan, as set out in Appendix 2 of the submitted report, be agreed.

REASON - To enable consultation on the recommendations which would enable the Council to deliver an appropriate level of service to tenants to meet housing need and to support the economic growth of the Borough through housing development.