Agenda, decisions and minutes

Purpose: To receive any Declarations and advise Members accordingly.

No declarations of interest were made.

(a)       That the Committee supports and recommends to the Cabinet and Council the HRA budget for 2016/17;

(b)       That the Committee supports a rent increase of 1.4% (plus up to or minus £2) as set out in the business plan with target rents applied for new tenancies, and with the introduction of service charges for communal area cleaning, digital services and aerial maintenance for existing tenancies; and

(c)        That the proposed HRA Capital programme for 2016/17, as set out in Appendix C, be supported.    

The Chief Officer (Community & Enterprise) introduced a report on the draft HRA Budget for 2016/17 and HRA Business Plan.  She gave a joint presentation with the Senior Manager Council Housing Services on the 2016/17 HRA Revenue Budget which covered the following areas:  

·         Self financing

·         30 year business plan

·         Housing Revenue Account

·         other income

·         service charges 2016/17

·         future phasing of service charges

·         principles underpinning efficiencies

·         HRA efficiency proposals

·         HRA pressures

·         funding for HRA Capital Programme 2016/17

·         council house building programme

The Chair thanked the Chief Officer and Senior Manager Council Housing Services for the presentation and the verbal updates which had been given to Members.  The Chief Officer thanked the Finance Manager, Community Services and Accountant for their hard work in assisting in the preparation of the report. 

Councillor George Hardcastle asked that his thanks be passed to the members of staff, for their hard work and efficiency when dealing with the installation of solar panels within his ward.  Councillor Mike Reece also thanked officers for dealing with the off-street parking issues within his ward and also welcomed the solar panel scheme.    

The comments and questions which were raised by Members of the Committee on the presentation, together with the responses given, are detailed in Appendix 1 (attached).

            RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee supports and recommends to the Cabinet and Council the HRA budget for 2016/17;

(b)       That the Committee supports a rent increase of 1.4% (plus up to or minus £2) as set out in the business plan with target rents applied for new tenancies, and with the introduction of service charges for communal area cleaning, digital services and aerial maintenance for existing tenancies; and

(c)        That the proposed HRA Capital programme for 2016/17, as set out in Appendix C, be supported.    

There were no members of the public or the press in attendance.