Issue - meetings

This report presents to Members the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) forecast outturn for 2013/14 and the draft HRA budget for 2014/15 as required by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Members are required to consider these budget estimates and the associated options, taking account of the requirement to set an HRA budget that does not show a debit balance at year end, and in particular Members need to consider and agree the level of HRA dwelling rents and service charges for 2014/15.

(i)         that the HRA forecast outturn 2013/14 (Appendix 1 Table 1) be noted;

(ii)        that the savings/budget reductions for 2014/15 as set out in paragraph 3.48.3 be approved;

(iii)       that the HRA budget growth for 2014-15 of £3.740m as set out in paragraph 3.48.4 be approved;

(iv)       that approval be given to an average overall rent increase (excluding service charges) from April 2014 of £4.67 per week, which is an average overall increase of 4.39%, as set out in further detail in paragraphs 3.23 to 3.29;

(v)        that approval be given to to increase HRA Council Dwelling service charges from April 2014 by 3.2%, which is an average increase of £0.21 per dwelling per week;

(vi)       that approval be give to the proposals for the HRA budget for 2014/15 as set out in Table 1 on Appendix 1 of this report and agree that they be included in the overall Budget for 2014-15 for approval by Full Council on 3 March 2014;

(vii)      that approval be given to an average overall rent increase from April 2014 of £4.53 per dwelling per week on the Brent Stonebridge Dwellings, which is an average overall rent increase of 3.7% as set out in paragraph 3.62;

(viii)     that approval be given to decrease the service charges on the Brent Stonebridge Dwellings from April 2014 by an average of 11.4% or an average of £1.01 per dwelling per week as set out in paragraph 3.64.

The report from the Director of Regeneration and Growth presented to members the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) forecast outturn for 2013/14 and the draft HRA budget for 2014/15 as required by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Members were required to consider these budget estimates and the associated options, taking account of the requirement to set an HRA budget that did not show a debit balance at year end. In introducing the report, Councillor McLennan (Lead Member, Housing) reminded the Executive that a draft HRA had been presented in November 2013 for approval. The rent and service charge increases were in accordance with national formula and were in line with other boroughs. On service charges, Councillor McLennan drew attention to the proposal to reduce service charges in 2014/15 for Brent Stonebridge dwellings by an average of 11.4% and advised that the rent increases would help support stock improvement.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that the HRA forecast outturn 2013/14 (Appendix 1 Table 1) be noted;

(ii)        that the savings/budget reductions for 2014/15 as set out in paragraph 3.48.3 of the report from the Strategic Director, Regeneration and Growth be approved;

(iii)       that the HRA budget growth for 2014-15 of £3.740m as set out in paragraph 3.48.4 of the Director’s report be approved;

(iv)       that approval be given to an average overall rent increase (excluding service charges) from April 2014 of £4.67 per week, which is an average overall increase of 4.39%, as set out in further detail in paragraphs 3.23 to 3.29 of the report;

(v)        that approval be given to increase HRA Council Dwelling service charges from April 2014 by 3.2%, which is an average increase of £0.21 per dwelling per week;

(vi)       that approval be given to the proposals for the HRA budget for 2014/15 as set out in Table 1 on Appendix 1 of the report and agree that they be included in the overall Budget for 2014-15 for approval by Full Council on 3 March 2014;

(vii)      that approval be given to an average overall rent increase from April 2014 of £4.53 per dwelling per week on the Brent Stonebridge Dwellings, which is an average overall rent increase of 3.7% as set out in paragraph 3.62 of the report;

(viii)     that approval be given to decrease the service charges on the Brent Stonebridge Dwellings from April 2014 by an average of 11.4% or an average of £1.01 per dwelling per week as set out in paragraph 3.64 of the report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Growth.