Issue - items at meetings - Housing Revenue Account Budget 2012/13

Report of the Strategic Director: Place (copy attached).

RESOLVED:

(1)               That the budget for 2012/13 as shown in Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

(2)               That individual rent increases and decreases in line with rent restructuring principles as determined by the Government be approved;

(3)               That the changes to fees and charges as detailed in paragraph 3.18 to 3.26 of the report be approved;

(4)               That the introduction of new service charges for communal digital aerials as detailed in paragraph 3.23 of the report be approved; and

(5)               That the separation of general fund and housing debt into two separate pools from 1 April 2012 in accordance with CIPFA guidance be approved.

190.1    Councillor Wakefield introduced the report which outlined the proposed budget for the Housing Revenue Account for 2012/13 as required by the Local Government & Housing Act 1989.  She noted that a total of £933k of savings had been indentified and service pressures of £263k, with an average rent increase of £5.17 a week.  She also noted that a special financial inclusion service had been introduced to assist council tenants and that the city was facing a housing crisis which needed to be tackled.

190.2    Councillor g. Theobald welcomed the report and noted that there had been a rise in insurance claims and insurance costs.

190.3     The Head of Housing & Social Inclusion stated that there had been a rise in insurance premiums and previous under-funding which attributed to the overall increase in costs.

190.4    RESOLVED:

(1)         That the budget for 2012/13 as shown in Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

(2)         That individual rent increases and decreases in line with rent restructuring principles as determined by the Government be approved;

(3)         That the changes to fees and charges as detailed in paragraph 3.18 to 3.26 of the report be approved;

(4)         That the introduction of new service charges for communal digital aerials as detailed in paragraph 3.23 of the report be approved; and

(5)         That the separation of general fund and housing debt into two separate pools from 1 April 2012 in accordance with CIPFA guidance be approved.