Decision details

Matter for Decision: To consider the Housing Revenue Account Budget Setting Report 2012/13 to 2016/17.

 

Decision of the Executive Councillor for Housing

 

The Executive Councillor resolved to recommend that Council

.

i.        Approve  capital bids, including resource to re-roof HRA commercial property in Campkin Road and funding to meet the relocation costs of existing residents in housing in Water Lane and Aylesborough Close (subject to approval that the schemes proceed, as shown in Appendix H of the HRA Budget Setting Report.

 

ii.      Approve re-phasing of both the expenditure, and external funding, in respect of the new build affordable housing programme, in line with scheme specific approvals and anticipated cash flows.

 

iii.    Approve the virement of £40,000 of resource from the communal area uplift allocation, where work is still being done to produce full stock condition data, to the budget for work to HRA commercial property, to facilitate the conversion of ECCHO House to a twobedroom dwelling for social housing purposes at a total cost of £95,000, as detailed in the project appraisal at Appendix P, and the Housing Capital Investment Plan at Appendix N of the HRA Budget Setting Report.

 

iv.   Approve a reduction of £80,000 in each of the Disabled Facilities Grant and Private Sector Housing Grants and Loans budgets in 2012/13 due to a combination of reduced demand, coupled with a temporary reduction in activity by the new Shared Home Improvement Agency whilst the service was set up. Permission is sought to re-profile this resource to 2017/18, the end of the current funding period, from which point future funding for this area of investment is at risk.

 

v.     Approve the revised Housing Capital Investment Plan as shown in Appendix N of the HRA Budget Setting Report.

 

vi.   Approve a provisional addition to the Housing Capital Allowance of £25,358,000 in respect of anticipated qualifying expenditure in 2013/14.

 

Reason for the Decision:

 

As per the officer report

 

Any alternative options considered and rejected:

 

N/A

 

Scrutiny Considerations:

 

The committee received a report from the Housing Business Manager regarding Housing Revenue Account Budget Setting Report 2012/13 to 2016/17.

 

Further information was requested on the reasons for the reduced demand for disabled facilities grants; the potential effect in future years and what would happen if demand increased. The Head of Strategic Housing explained that there had been reduced demand in the current financial year for the grants, which were designed to provide improvements in private homes. The committee were advised that grant requests came via Occupational Therapists and requests were down. It was explained that any future increase in demand would need to be managed through the budget process.

 

The committee endorsed the recommendations by 4 votes to 0.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

 

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

 

N/A