Agenda item
Allocation of HRA Rooftop Telecommunication Income
There has been a substantial accrual of income in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) over the years arising from the telecommunications equipment rental situated on 13 housing tower blocks around the borough which stood at £1.195 million (excluding Watling Gardens) at March 2009. Following the introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 and the recent fire at Lakanal House in Camberwell, Brent Housing Partnership (BHP) has had to review its health & safety procedures in order to ensure that all blocks are compliant with health and safety legislation. Given the substantial cost of the new Health and Safety initiatives, the funds that have accrued should be used to finance Health and safety improvements and other works on the Council’s stock borough wide.
Decision:
(i) that agreement in principle be given to rescind the decision made by the Housing Committee in 1996 to allocate the telecommunication income to the Area Housing Boards for communal repairs and improvements and to grant delegated authority to the Director of Housing and Community Care in consultation with the Lead Member, to make a final decision on this issue following the outcome of consultation with the Area Housing Boards;
(ii) that agreement be given that historic telecommunication rental income generated from masts located on Housing Revenue Account (HRA) tower blocks (excluding Watling Gardens) should be used to support expenditure on the Council’s housing stock borough wide and to grant delegated authority to the Director of Housing and Community Care in consultation with the Lead Member, to make a final decision on this issue following the outcome of consultation with the Area Housing Boards;
(iii) that agreement be given in principle that the future telecommunication rental income generated from masts located on Housing Revenue Account (HRA) tower blocks should be used to support expenditure on the Council’s housing stock borough wide and to grant delegated authority to the Director of Housing and Community Care in consultation with the Lead Member, to make a final decision on this issue following the outcome of consultation with the Area Housing Boards;
(vi) that in relation to the in principle decisions set out in paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) above, approval be given to grant the Director of Housing and Community Care in consultation with the Lead member, discretion to refer the in principle decisions back to the Executive for a final decision if he considers it prudent to do so following the outcome of the consultation with the Area Housing Boards;
(v) that approval be given, subject to Paragraph (ii) above, to accrued income of £1.195m from Housing Tower Blocks Rooftop Telecommunication Masts (excluding Watling Gardens and which is held in the Housing Revenue Account), being allocated to be spent on the Council’s housing stock borough wide;
(vi) that approval be given to the budget virements for the HRA Budget for 2009-10 as set out in paragraph 4.3 of report from the Director of Housing and Community Care.
Minutes:
Following the introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 and the recent fire at Lakanal House in Camberwell, Brent Housing Partnership (BHP) has had to review its health and safety procedures in order to ensure that all blocks were compliant with health and safety legislation. There have been a substantial accrual of income in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) over the years arising from the telecommunications equipment rental situated on 13 housing tower blocks around the borough which stood at £1.195 million (excluding Watling Gardens) at March 2009. The report from the Director of Housing and Community Care proposed that given the substantial cost of the new health and safety initiatives, the funds that have accrued should be used to finance health and safety improvements and other works on the Council’s stock borough wide.
RESOLVED:-
(i) that agreement in principle be given to rescind the decision made by the Housing Committee in 1996 to allocate the telecommunication income to the Area Housing Boards for communal repairs and improvements and to grant delegated authority to the Director of Housing and Community Care in consultation with the Lead Member, to make a final decision on this issue following the outcome of consultation with the Area Housing Boards;
(ii) that agreement be given that historic telecommunication rental income generated from masts located on Housing Revenue Account (HRA) tower blocks (excluding Watling Gardens) should be used to support expenditure on the Council’s housing stock borough wide and to grant delegated authority to the Director of Housing and Community Care in consultation with the Lead Member, to make a final decision on this issue following the outcome of consultation with the Area Housing Boards;
(iii) that agreement be given in principle that the future telecommunication rental income generated from masts located on Housing Revenue Account (HRA) tower blocks should be used to support expenditure on the Council’s housing stock borough wide and to grant delegated authority to the Director of Housing and Community Care in consultation with the Lead Member, to make a final decision on this issue following the outcome of consultation with the Area Housing Boards;
(vi) that in relation to the in principle decisions set out in paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) above, approval be given to grant the Director of Housing and Community Care in consultation with the Lead member, discretion to refer the in principle decisions back to the Executive for a final decision if he considers it prudent to do so following the outcome of the consultation with the Area Housing Boards;
(v) that approval be given, subject to Paragraph (ii) above, to accrued income of £1.195m from Housing Tower Blocks Rooftop Telecommunication Masts (excluding Watling Gardens and which is held in the Housing Revenue Account), being allocated to be spent on the Council’s housing stock borough wide;
(vi) that approval be given to the budget virements for the HRA Budget for 2009-10 as set out in paragraph 4.3 of report from the Director of Housing and Community Care.
Supporting documents: