Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Mrs Batty who was substituted by Councillor Scard.

All members are required to disclose at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter, any disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest in any item(s) being considered at this meeting.

There were none

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on the 10 November 2021 be signed as a true and correct record.

(NOTE: The Board is required to receive a deputation(s) on a matter which is before the meeting of the Board provided that notice of the intended deputation and its object shall have been received by the Borough Solicitor by 12 noon on Monday 17^th January 2022. The total time for deputations in favour and against a proposal shall not exceed 10 minutes)

There were none

(NOTE: The Board is required to allow a total of 15 minutes for questions from Members of the public on matters within the terms of reference of the Board provided that notice of such Question(s) shall have been submitted to the Borough Solicitor by 12 noon on Monday 17^th January 2022)

There were none

This report considers the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan Financial Model including the revised 2021/22 budget and the 2022/23 budget imcluding recommendations on rent levels for next year.

It also provides updates for Members on the latest information with regard to poilcy changes that impact directly on local authority housing finance services.

Consideration was given to a report by the Borough Treasurer and Housing Service Manager regarding recommendation to full Council the Housing Revenue Account (GRA) Business Plan Financial Model including the revised 2021/22 budget and the 2022/23 budget including recommendations on rent levels for next year.

Officers advised Members of some changes to figures shown in Appendix B and circulated an amendment. They also wished to adjust the wording in paragraph 5.4 to remove the distinction between older style and new style garages in terms of rent increase.

In answer to a Members question Officers explained that the figure for heating upgrades was for normal upgrades and not heat pumps.

Members were advised that the Other Income shown in Appendix A included court costs, alarms, water, management fees from tenants and eligible service charges to hostels and sheltered schemes.

Members were advised that following site condition surveys, the priority was to upgrade electrics. Additional energy efficiency works will be carried out during major repairs, and the budget will change as new programmes come on stream.

In answer to a Members question, Officers advised that data is being collated to identify suitable properties for retro fitting of solar panels for which grants might be available and that the programme of insulating had been carried out previously.

Members were advised that assessments now covered the whole building including roofworks, and works were undertaken in one visit which makes it more cost effective.

Officers explained that property stock is rated as Good Fair or Poor, which helps to identify the budget required for the Capital Scheme. Poor does not mean that the property is sub standard, just that there maybe more than two issues requiring attention.

Members were advised that most asbestos surveys and removals have been completed, and the budget is more for when issues are discovered during general maintenance and repair.

Officers explained that the heading Estate Capital in Appendix D was a generic heading.

A Member wished to thank Officers for an excellent report which showed how tenants were being cared for and there were improvements for all through heating updates, new kitchens, bathrooms, windows and doors and most importantly disabled adaptions.

RESOLVED: That the Housing Board recommended to Council that:

·         The revised HRA Business Plan Financial Model  extract (Appendix A) and associated 2021/22 Revised Budget and 2022/23 Budget (Appendix B) be agreed.

·         That Council Dwelling rents increase  by CPI (3.1% @sept 2021) plus 1% .The Council is setting it’s rents according to the five year policy  programme as detailed in the new national rent policy introduced in February  2019.

·         The rent for all garages be increased in line with inflation, as agreed in the Garage Renewal strategy.