Decision details

Matter for Decision:

 

To approve the overall base revenue and capital budget position for the Housing Portfolio. The report compared the proposed 2011/12 revised budget to the budget at September 2011 and detailed the budget proposals for 2012/13 and 2013/14.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing:

 

The Executive Councillor resolved to:

 

Review of Charges:

a) Approve the proposed charges for Housing services and facilities, as shown in Appendix B of the Officer’s report.

 

Revenue Budgets:

b) Approve, the current year funding requests and savings, (shown in Appendix A of the Officer’s report) and the resulting revised revenue budgets for 2011/12 (shown in Table 1 of the Officer’s report) for submission to the Executive.

c) Agree proposals for revenue savings and unavoidable bids, as set out in Appendix C of the Officer’s report, which had been incorporated into the budgets presented for this portfolio.

d) Agree proposals for bids from external or existing funding, as set out in Appendix D of the Officer’s report, if applicable.

e) Agree proposals for Priority Policy Fund (PPF) bids, as set out in Appendix E of the Officer’s report.

f) Approve the budget proposals for 2012/13, as shown in Table 2 of the Officer’s report, for submission to the Executive.

 

Capital:

g) Seek approval from the Executive to carry forward resources from 2011/12, as detailed in Appendix G of the Officer’s report, to fund rephased capital spending.

h) Approve capital bids and savings, as identified in Appendix H and Appendix H(a) of the Officer’s report, for submission to the Executive for inclusion in the Capital & Revenue Project Plans and Housing Capital Plan respectively.

i) Confirm that there are no items covered by this portfolio to add to the Council’s Hold List, for submission to the Executive.

j) Approve the current General Fund Capital & Revenue Projects Plan, as detailed in Appendix J of the Officer’s report, to be updated for any amendments detailed in (g), (h) and (i) above.

k) Note that revised Housing Capital Investment Plan for 2011/12 to 2016/17, would be presented to the special joint Housing Management Board and Community Services on 8th February 2012, to include the impact of in year savings in capital budgets, re-allocation of budgets for decent homes works, rephasing of existing projects and schemes and incorporation of capital bids (as detailed in Appendix H(a) of the Officer’s report, submitted as part of the 2012/13 budget process.

l) Approve the two project appraisals as detailed in Appendix K of the Officer’s report.

m) Approve a provisional Housing Capital Allowance for 2012/13 of £11,384,000.

 

Reason for the Decision:

 

At its meeting on 20 October 2011, Council gave initial consideration to the budget prospects for the General Fund for 2012/13 and future years. An overall savings requirement was set in November 2010, for the following four years, with the expectation that identified service reviews would contribute significantly to achievement of these targets. This position was reviewed in October 2011 and the position in relation to any service reviews within this portfolio is shown in paragraph 6.3 and the associated table and appendix of the Officer’s report.

 

Any alternative options considered and rejected:

 

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations:

 

The Committee received a report from the Principal Accountant regarding the Housing Portfolio Budget 2012 –2013.

 

Members requested further details on the funding to increase the uptake of energy efficiency improvements in the private sector (Appendix K of the Officer’s report). The Principal Accountant agreed to provide the details outside of the meeting.

 

The Scrutiny Committee considered and endorsed the recommendations in the report by 6 votes to 0.

 

The Executive Councillor for Housing approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of interest declared by the Executive Councillor (and any dispensations granted)