Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance-TO FOLLOW

RESOLVED THAT

1. the revised HRA forecast for 2017/18 be noted.
2. the interim HRA budget proposals for 2018/19 (shown at Appendix 2) be approved for consultation including a proposed rent decrease of 1% and changes to other rents and charges as detailed within the report.
3. the proposed HRA capital programme for 2018/19 as shown at Appendix 3 be approved.
4. authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, to determine and approve any additional material that may be needed to support the presentation of the interim budget proposals for consultation.
5. consultation responses be sought by 31^st January 2018.

The Leader introduced the report which summarised the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) revised forecast for 2017/18 and the Cabinet’s interim budget proposals for 2018/19 for consultation. He highlighted that whilst the Government policy to reduce rents had been beneficial for tenants it had the effect of reducing thebudget the council was able to provide as a consequence. However CBH had continued to make substantial progress in plans to modernise and transform the housing management and maintenance services delivered to tenants which was welcomed. The Leader informed Members that the consultation would run until 31 January 2018.

The Cabinet Member Housing paid tribute to the work CBH had undertaken in managing the Government’s rent policy in a comparably short time frame. He thanked CBH on behalf of residents in the town.

A Member remarked that there were unseen consequences of the rent policy in terms of housing associations withdrawing from developments as the funding packages were no longer there with developers relying on housing association funding up front. Having now adopted the JCS framework there would now be more control over developments taking place.

RESOLVED THAT

1. the revised HRA forecast for 2017/18 be noted.
2. the interim HRA budget proposals for 2018/19 (shown at Appendix 2) be approved for consultation including a proposed rent decrease of 1% and changes to other rents and charges as detailed within the report.
3. the proposed HRA capital programme for 2018/19 as shown at Appendix 3 be approved.
4. authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, to determine and approve any additional material that may be needed to support the presentation of the interim budget proposals for consultation.
5. consultation responses be sought by 31^st January 2018.