Issue - decisions

RESOLVED –

THAT, having considered the views of the District Management Committees (Appendix E of the report), the Housing Scrutiny Committee and the results of the Equalities Impact Assessment (Appendix D of the report) and having had due regard to the obligations set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010:-

(i)           The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2025/26 (Appendix A of the report) be approved to ensure a balanced HRA budget for 2025/26;

(ii)          Social housing rents be increased by 2.7% (CPI + 1%) from April 2025 (paragraph 3.4 of the report):

(iii)         Revised tenant service charges for Caretaking, CCTV, Communal Lighting, Communal Mechanical and Electrical Maintenance, Grounds Maintenance and Responsive Housing Patrol (paragraph 3.10 of the report) be approved;

(iv)         Revised service charges in the HRA hostels and supported housing of 2.7% increase and 3% increase for enhanced management charge for sheltered housing (paragraph 3.14 of the report) be approved;

(v)          The approach to the Heating Pool set out in paragraph 3.18-3.20 and Appendix B of the report, including to reduce heating scales by 35%, as detailed in Appendix B of the report, be approved;

(vi)         Temporary accommodation purchase programme 2 and 3 schemes (TAPP2 and TAPP3) rents (inclusive of service charges) be kept at 23/24 levels so that they remain affordable to homeless households (paragraph 3.7 of the report);

(vii)       Shared ownership rents be increased by RPI + 0.5% (3.2%) (paragraph 3.8 of the report);

(viii)      Resident garage rents be increased from £16/week to £18/week from 2025/26 in line with the Medium Term Financial Strategy savings strategy. (paragraph 3.15 of the report);

(ix)         Other fees and charges be increased by 3% (private garages, estate parking, sheds, cupboards, allotments, keys and fobs). (paragraph 3.17 and Appendix C of the report);

(x)          In relation to the proposals (with associated budget reductions) set out in section 3.22, authority be delegated to the relevant Director(s) to immediately implement proposals listed as Decision Category A; and

(xi)         Decisions i to x above be exempted from call in, subject to the agreement of the Chair of Housing Scrutiny Committee, in order to facilitate the notice of rent change being given to tenants within the necessary timescales.