Issue - meetings

Matter for Decision

The Housing Revenue Account Budget Setting Report, considered and approved in January / February of each year is the long-term strategic planning document for housing landlord services provided by Cambridge City Council.

 

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Mid-Year Financial Review provides an opportunity to review the assumptions incorporated as part of the longer-term financial planning process, recommending any changes in response to new legislative requirements, variations in external economic factors and amendments to service delivery methods, allowing incorporation into budgets and financial forecasts at the earliest opportunity.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing under Part 1 of the Housing Scrutiny Agenda:

 

    i.          Approved the Housing Revenue Account Mid-Year Financial Review attached, to include all proposals for changes in:

 

·        Financial assumptions as detailed in Appendix C of the document.

 

·        Revenue budgets as introduced in Section 4, detailed in Appendix D, and summarised in the HRA Summary Forecast at Appendix G of the document.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing under Part 2 of the Housing Scrutiny Agenda:

 

Recommend to Council:

 

·        Proposals for changes in existing housing capital budgets, as introduced in Sections 6 and 7 and detailed in Appendix E of the document, with the resulting position summarised in Appendix H, for decision at Council on 6th November 2014.

 

·        Inclusion of a new scheme in the Housing Capital Investment Plan, relating to the replacement of air cooling systems at the area housing offices, at a cost of £11,000.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Business Manager/Principal Accountant

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

     i.        Thanked the Business Manager / Principal Account for such a clear and comprehensive report.

    ii.        Noted a saving of £20,000 from the Resident Involvement Budget and queried how the saving would be made.

   iii.        Expressed concern that any future reductions to the Resident Involvement Budget would equate to a reduction to services. 

  iv.        Reiterated the importance retaining the Resident Involvement Budget for future developments to ensure that support could be provided.

   v.        Requested further information on 101a Gywdir Street and asked if there would be any implications to residents in neighbouring properties.

  vi.        Noted that when the shift had been made to self-financing, external advice had been sought and asked had that external advice been updated and how often. 

 

In response to Committees comments, Officers and the Director of Community and Customer Services stated the following:

 

     i.        With regards to the Resident Involvement Budget, savings would be from staffing across the cost centre. The majority of savings had been taken from the balance in reduction of full time hours for one staff member to 22.5 hours.

    ii.        Concerning the Resident Involvement Budget, it was important to look at output and outcomes of what was hoped to be achieved. The Council would be looking at the results of the residents’ survey which would give indicators of what should be explored in the longer term.

   iii.        Invited all Committee Members to meet with Officers of the Resident Involvement Team who would advise in detail the work programme and the long term goals.

  iv.        At the time of writing the report the business case for 101a Gywdir Street was still being evaluated with a number of options assed. It had been confirmed that the existing bedsit would be refurbished within its existing footprint. The occupier had been informed and there would no impact on the residents on the same site.

   v.        External Advice was sought on a regular basis from organisations such as SECTOR and The Chartered Institute of Housing.

  vi.        The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) was due to be reviewed and it was highly probable that further advice would be sought after the review.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (11 Votes to 0, with 2 abstentions) to approve the recommendations under Part 1 of the Housing Scrutiny Agenda:

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

 

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.

 

The following vote was Chaired by Councillor Todd Jones.

 

Resolved (unanimously) to approve the recommendations under Part 2 of the Housing Scrutiny Agenda:

 

Committee Manager’s Note: Tenant and Leaseholders Representatives did not vote on this recommendation.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

 

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.