Issue - meetings

RESOLVED

That  (i)    the 30-Year Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan at Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

         (ii)   the Draft Rent Policy included as Appendix 2 to the report be agreed for consultation; and

         (iii)  the recommendation from the Communities and Housing Scrutiny Committee to the Executive as set out below be noted and supported:

            In their regular reviews of the HRA Long Term Business Plan, the Executive should pay particular attention to interest rates and review the Plan based on that information.

Reporting Person – Louise Strongitharm

The Executive RECOMMENDED to Council

That  (i)    the 30-Year Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan at Appendix 1 to the report be approved; and

          (ii)   the Draft Rent Policy included as Appendix 2 to the report be agreed for consultation.

Reason:   To ensure the Council has a viable long-term strategy for spending and borrowing to maintain its housing stock and operate services for its tenants and leaseholders.

Councillor Johnson, Portfolio Holder for Housing, introduced the report which recommended to Council the approval of the 30 Year Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan and which sought agreement to consult on a new Draft Rent Policy.  It was noted that the results of the new stock condition survey, due to be completed in Spring 2025, would need to be incorporated into future iterations of the Business Plan.  Therefore, older stock condition data had been used to prepare the current Business Plan.  The Portfolio Holder reported that the proposed 5-year HRA capital programme budget allowed for £71.9m between 2025/26 and 2030/31.  It was noted that the increase in budget was necessary to meet the Council’s obligations in respect of fire safety and Decent Homes, including communal boilers.

The Executive was advised that approval was sought to consult on a new Draft Rent Policy which would allow the Council to apply “rent flexibility” to all relets of its existing HRA homes when they became vacant.

The Executive was supportive of the proposals which would positively impact Council tenants by ensuring that the Council had a viable long-term strategy for spending and borrowing to maintain its housing stock and operate services for its tenants and leaseholders.  It was hoped that further work could be done in the future regarding decarbonisation and energy efficiency once further detail was available from Government.

RECOMMENDED to Council

That  (i)    the 30-Year Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan at Appendix 1 to the report be approved; and

          (ii)   the Draft Rent Policy included as Appendix 2 to the report be agreed for consultation.

Reason:   To ensure the Council has a viable long-term strategy for spending and borrowing to maintain its housing stock and operate services for its tenants and leaseholders.