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Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2014/15

31/01/2014 - Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2014/15

CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL

Record of Executive Decision

 

 

HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) BUDGET SETTING REPORT (BSR) 2013/14 to 2017/18 – REVENUE IMPLICATIONS

 

Decision of:

The Leader of the Council (Executive Councillor portfolio for Strategy) Councillor Tim Bick

Reference:

RoED/HMB/01

Date of decision:              

31 January 2014

Recorded on:

31 January 2014

Decision Type: 

Key Decision

Matter for Decision:

 

The Leader is asked to take decisions in respect of both housing rents and service charges and the Housing Revenue Account revenue budget.

 

Why the decision had to be made (and any alternative options):

 

 

Following deliberation at the Housing Management Board (16.01.14), the Executive Councillor for Housing took a view on a key decision which materially differed to that of the Housing Management Board.  Under 2.5 of Part 4D Executive Procedure Rules of the Council's Constitution, the matter was referred to the Leader of the Council for Decision.

 

The minutes from Housing Management Board (16.01.14) record that the Housing Management Board supported the Labour amendment by 7 votes to 4 votes. The Housing Management Board then supported the Labour recommendations (i-xii) set out on page 6-7 of the minutes.

 

The Executive Councillor for Housing supported the recommendations (A-K) on pages 2-3 of the HRA BSR report (January 2014).

 

The Leader of the Council is requested to make a decision, either as set out in the HRA BSR covering report (January 2014) Final or as set out in the Labour HRA BSR covering report.

 

Leader of the Council

decision(s):

 

The Leader of the Council decided to approve the recommendations as set out in the HRA BSR covering report (January 2014) Final:

 

Review of Rents and Charges

a) Approve that council dwellings rents be increased in line with rent restructuring guidelines, assuming that 2014/15 is the last year that a move towards convergence with formula rent is possible, but with a maximum in individual increases of inflation (RPI at September 2013 of 3.2%) plus half percent (0.5%) plus £2.00 per week with effect from 7th April 2014, in accordance with the recent consultation for government rent policy guidelines.

 

b) Approve inflationary increases of up to a maximum of 2.5% in garage and parking space rents for 2014/15, in line with the base rate of inflation for the year assumed in the HRA Budget Setting Report.

 

c) Approve the proposed service charges for Housing Revenue Account services and facilities, as shown in Appendix B of the HRA Budget Setting Report.

 

d) Approve revised leasehold administration charges for 2014/15 as detailed in Appendix B of the HRA Budget Setting Report.

 

e) Approve that service charges for gas maintenance, door entry systems, lifts and electrical and mechanical maintenance are increased by a maximum of inflation at 3.2% plus 0.5%, if required, to continue to recover full estimated costs as detailed in Appendix B of the HRA Budget Setting Report.

 

f) Approve that caretaking, communal cleaning, estate services, grounds maintenance, window cleaning, temporary housing premises and utilities, sheltered scheme premises, utilities, digital television aerial and catering charges continue to be recovered at full cost, as detailed in Appendix B of the HRA Budget Setting Report.

 

Revenue – HRA

Revised Budget 2013/14:

g) Approve with any amendments, the Revised Budget items shown in Appendix D of the HRA Budget Setting

Report.

 

Budget 2014/15:

h) Approve with any amendments, the Non-Cash Limit items shown in Appendix E of the HRA Budget Setting Report.

 

i) Approve with any amendments, the Unavoidable Revenue Bids and Savings shown in Appendix F of the HRA Budget Setting Report.

 

j) Approve with any amendments, the Priority Policy Fund (PPF) Bids shown in Appendix G of the HRA Budget Setting Report.

Reasons for the decision:

The reasons for the decision are as set out in the HRA BSR report to Housing Management Board (16.1.14).

 

Scrutiny consideration:

As described above the matter was scrutinised at HMB on 16.1.14.

 

Report:

The report and amendment is attached.

 

Conflicts of interest:

None

Comments:

This decision was published on 31.1.14 and the Housing Management Board, Executive Councillor for Housing and spokes were advised.