Agenda item

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND

1. That the updated HRA Business Plan be approved.

2. That the revised development programme budgets as set out in the Part II appendix to the  report to Cabinet be approved.

Decision

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND

1. That the updated HRA Business Plan be approved.

2. That the revised development programme budgets as set out in the Part II appendix to the  report to Cabinet be approved.

Reason for Decision

To update Cabinet on the Annual Review of the Council’s Housing Revenue Account Business Plan.

Financial

Regular review of the Council’s HRA Business Plan is essential to ensure short, medium and long term viability of the plan.

Value for Money

All contracts and services are tendered in line with the Council’s procurement procedures to ensure VFM.  The Landlord Service also compares costs annually with other social landlords through ‘Housemark’ benchmarking data.

Risk Implications

Monitoring of the HRA Business Plan has been identified as a Key Risk of the Housing Service and is reported to the Council’s Housing & Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee on a quarterly basis.

Community Impact Assessment

The Housing Revenue Account is a ‘ring fenced’ account for the income and expenditure solely related to the Council’s housing stock, tenants and leaseholders.

Health And Safety Implications

Health & Safety is identified as a Key Service Risk for Housing and therefore reported to the Council’s Housing & Community Overview & Scrutiny Committee on a quarterly basis.

Corporate Objectives

Affordable Housing.

Advice

The Portfolio Holder for Housing said the plan had been updated with the latest information and felt that this was a sensible way forward.

The Assistant Director for Housing noted that the document had been through Overview and Scrutiny and the Tenant and Leaseholder Committee. He added that even if there were no imminent changes it would still need a robust annual review. He was unsure how the policy would look after four years as the future had to include sales of certain properties of certain types and right to buy.

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee were unsure how there could be a business plan with so many unknowns and therefore felt that it may have to be looked at more frequently that an annual review.

He explained that a development document was included within the business plan, which set out that there would be no new build after 2020. There had been a proposal to include 30 properties per year for the last few years; however this had been pulled out due to financial reasons.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing added that the team had worked well to produce the business plan which had both positives and negatives.

The Leader of the Council felt that the plan was subject to a degree of guess work. He asked if the Tenant and Leaseholder committee expressed any feelings towards loss of stock or on rent reductions.

The Assistant Director for Housing replied that they felt it was too good to be true. They had never thought about rent levels as they are keen for the council to achieve its needs. They were happy to protect rent rates and increase new homes.

The Portfolio Holder for Environmental, Sustainability & Regulatory Services

questioned the appendix to the report and the review of the new build programme.

It was confirmed that all of the figures included, were accurate and correct.

Consultation

Consultation took place with:

·       Mark Gaynor – Corporate Director, Housing & Regeneration

·       James Deane – Corporate Director Corporate Director (Finance & Operations)

·       David Skinner – Assistant Director – Finance & Resources

·       Fiona Williamson – Group Manager Property & Place

·       Andy Vincent – Group Manager Tenants & Leaseholders

·       Julia Hedger – Group Manager Housing Development

·       Richard Baker – Group Manager Financial Services

·       DBC Tenants & Leaseholders Committee

• DBC Housing & Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Voting

None.