Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Finance and Support

1.      Cabinet is to recommend to Council to approve:

a.      An average rent increase of 0.58% per dwelling, in line with the Government’s rent restructuring regime, convergence in 2012/13, to take effect from 5 April 2010.

b.      The Medium Term Planning Options and Efficiency Options at Annex 3 and 4 respectively and the revised contributions to /from working balances;

c.      The HRA budget for 2010/11 set out in Annex 1 and note the indicative budgets for 2011/12 and 2012/13;

d.      That Sheltered Accommodation Warden charges (including Eleanore House) are frozen in line with the expected funding settlement from Northampton Supporting People (as shown in Annex 2);

e.      That heating service charges are increased by 0.58% (as shown in Annex 2);

f.        That garage charges are increased by 0.58% (as shown in Annex 2);

2.      The changes to the proposed budget (detailed at Annex 5), in light of the Governments Draft and then Final HRA Subsidy Determinations are agreed.

3.      Cabinet acknowledges the issues and risks detailed in the Section 151 Officer’s statement on the robustness of estimates and the adequacy of the reserves (Annex 6).

4.      Authority is to be delegated to the Director of Finance and Support in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, and where appropriate the relevant Director and Portfolio Holder to:

·              transfer monies from earmarked reserves should that become necessary during the financial year.

·              to update the budget tables and annexes, prior to Council should any further changes be necessary.

Councillor Clarke addressed Cabinet. He pointed out that some people who rented properties were on fixed incomes and would have to find more money now to park their cars, and provided an example.  He then referred to the issue of service charges currently being included in rent payment and again made an accusation of deceit that these charges were being hidden in the rent and the services were not being delivered.  He highlighted the poor state of cleanliness and decoration in the communal areas in and around properties in Castle Ward. He accepted that the Director of Housing was now taking the matter seriously but still called for a refund to tenants for work that had not been carried out.

Councillor Mildren declined to address Cabinet on this item.

Councillor Perkins presented the report to Cabinet and outlined its purpose. He pointed out that the original rent increase proposals had been updated to take into account further information from Government. He explained that the service charges were to be un-pooled over the course of the next few years.  He confirmed that tenants had been fully consulted on the budget.  He then summarised the contents of the report and gave a brief update on the ongoing work on the direction of the HRA.

Councillor Beardsworth confirmed that work was being carried out to clean and decorate the areas referred to by Councillor Clarke, but there was a battle to address the many years of neglect.  She commented that no money had been spent on capital repairs during Councillor Clarke’s period of chairmanship of the environment committee and that in this time, proceeds from the sale of council stock had not been put into the Housing Revenue Account.  Sales money was now being used for the benefit of tenants and Councillor Beardsworth denied any deceit in the use of service charges.

Councillor PD Varnsverry pointed out that the example used by Councillor Clarke to illustrate his comments on residents’ parking was incorrect as the building in question provided a free car park for tenants.

Councillor B Hoare commented that the Administration had looked at the state of all council properties and plans were being made to bring them to a decent standard.  There had been years of systemic neglect and a commitment was being made to address this.

RESOLVED

1.      That Cabinet recommend to Council to approve:

a.      An average rent increase of 0.58% per dwelling, in line with the Government’s rent restructuring regime, convergence in 2012/13, to take effect from 5 April 2010.

b.      The Medium Term Planning Options and Efficiency Options at Annex 3 and 4 respectively and the revised contributions to /from working balances;

c.      The HRA budget for 2010/11 set out in Annex 1 and note the indicative budgets for 2011/12 and 2012/13;

d.      That Sheltered Accommodation Warden charges (including Eleanore House) are frozen in line with the expected funding settlement from Northampton Supporting People (as shown in Annex 2);

e.      That heating service charges are increased by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9