Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Finance and Support

The report and the forecast overspend of £1,243k on the Net Cost of Services are noted.

Councillor Mildren addressed Cabinet and referred to the repairs and maintenance forecast overspent.  He felt this was justified if it was improving the housing stock and enabling properties to be re-let and demonstrated good value for money. He cautioned against spending more than was necessary to achieve the improvements.

Councillor Clarke addressed Cabinet commenting that it would have been helpful to have a clearer breakdown of how much of the reduction in income was caused by the decrease in the rent increase.  He was seeking evidence of a confidence of the recovery of the figures by the end of the year and did not think the projections were in line with the emerging pattern.

Councillor Perkins presented the report to Cabinet and pointed out that the forecast overspend was similar to that in the previous period.  Work was being done to assess how much of the repairs and maintenance costs should be capitalised. The net effect of the rental income was £203,000 as against a total £43 million.

Councillor B Hoare was satisfied that officers were confident in their projections and pointed out the historical effect of the Christmas period on rent income

RESOLVED

That the report and the forecast overspend of £1,243k on the Net Cost of Services are noted.