Issue - meetings

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Communities to submit a report providing a review of activity undertaken since the HRA Business Plan was last published in 2012 and alongside a range of proposed measures setting out an interim plan for the next three years with a view to being in a positive position to establish a long-term 30 years vision and plan thereafter.

1)    Cabinet RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL approval of the Interim HRA Business Plan as set out in Section 6 of this report.

2)    Cabinet RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL approval of the proposed Capital programme as proposed in Appendix A of this report.

Reason for the decision

The interim plan will allow the Council to complete the projects and actions identified and approved in the HIP over the next 3 years. It will also allow for the stock condition survey to complete which is key for the next iteration of the full and detailed long term business plan.

KEY DECISION

Councillor Joe Orson, Leader of the Council, introduced the report in the absence of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Communities.  The purpose of the report was to provide a review of activity undertaken since the HRA Business Plan was last published in 2012 and alongside a range of proposed measures sets out an interim plan for the next three years, supported by a programme of projects to be funded through both revenue and capital budgets. These projects correspond with the Housing Improvement Plan and respond to the current challenges and risks faced by the Council in relation to HRA assets. Only when the full reappraisal of stock condition had been completed would it be possible to establish a new and meaningful 30 year plan, this is expected by Autumn 2022.

The Leader provided a summary of the report and highlighted the significant capital programme of improvement and compliance over the next three years at an estimated cost of £13m; robust financial management controls in place through the introduction of a minimum working balance on the HRA Revenue Budget and the use of the Development and Regeneration Reserve; and continued investment in the Council’s housing stock.    

During discussion the following points were noted:

• Providing high quality council homes was a Council priority and the business plan would be integral to the achievement of this;
• Although the use of a Council owned housing company was identified in the report as a possible means of alleviating the pressure of the cost of temporary accommodation, any such commercial enterprise would have as a primary objective income generation to improve the Council’s financial position and provision of increased opportunities for residents who did not qualify for social housing to get on the property ladder.  Should the Council pursue the option of creating a housing company, it was anticipated that any income generated would primarily be used to alleviate pressures on the General Fund.
• Options for income generation for the HRA were also being looked at through the review of service charges and other opportunities were also being explored.

DECISIONS

1)    Cabinet RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL approval of the Interim HRA Business Plan as set out in Section 6 of this report.

2)    Cabinet RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL approval of the proposed Capital programme as proposed in Appendix A of this report.

Reason for the decision

The interim plan will allow the Council to complete the projects and actions identified and approved in the HIP over the next 3 years. It will also allow for the stock condition survey to complete which is key for the next iteration of the full and detailed long term business plan.