Issue - meetings

Housing Rents and Service Charges : 2018/19

Meeting: 15/01/2019 - Executive (Item 4)

4 Housing Rents and Services Charges pdf icon PDF 74 KB

To consider the report of the Chief Finance Officer.

 

People Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 10 January 2019 and its comments will be reported.

 

Decision:

Agreed

That:-

(1)        rents of Council dwellings are reduced by 1% from 1 April 2019;

 

(2)        garage rents are increased by 3% from 1 April 2019;

 

(3)        service charges remain at their existing levels, with the exception of charges specified below from 1 April 2019:-

 

(a)  10% increase in emergency light testing in line with routine testing costs and additional installations;

 

(b)  20% decrease in respect of the Older Persons’ property service charge reflecting a frozen post; and

 

(c)  5% reduction in respect of door entry systems in line with system maintenance costs.

 

Reason for Decision:

 

As set out in the report.

 

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Chief Finance Officer presented the report setting out the proposed changes to council dwelling rents, garage rents and service charges with effect from 1 April 2019.

 

Members were advised that this was the final year of implementing the 1% rent cut, this would result in an overall reduction of £400,000 to the Housing Revenue Account in 2019/20.

 

People Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 10 January 2019 and its comments were reported.

 

RESOLVED that:-

 

(1)        rents of Council dwellings are reduced by 1% from 1 April 2019;

 

(2)        garage rents are increased by 3% from 1 April 2019;

 

(3)        service charges remain at their existing levels, with the exception of charges specified below from 1 April 2019:-

 

(a)  10% increase in emergency light testing in line with routine testing costs and additional installations;

 

(b)  20% decrease in respect of the Older Persons’ property service charge reflecting a frozen post; and

 

(c)  5% reduction in respect of door entry systems in line with system maintenance costs.

 

 


Meeting: 10/01/2019 - People Scrutiny Committee (Item 5)

5 Housing Rents and Service Charges : 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 74 KB

To consider the joint report of the Chief Finance Officer and the Director (BA)

 

Minutes:

The Technical Accounting Manager presented the report setting out proposed changes to council dwelling rents, garage rents and service charges with effect from 1 April 2019.

 

The Director (BA) updated Members on the impact on the Council of the Universal Credit roll out advising that budget provision had been made to reflect the experience of other areas in terms of the impact on rent arrears and that the Council was working with the Department of Work and Pensions and the Citizens Advice Bureau to ensure a smooth handover of responsibility for Universal Support for April.

 

People Scrutiny Committee noted and supported the report and recommended Executive to approve:-

 

(1)        a reduction in rents for Council dwellings of 1% from 1 April 2019;

 

(2)        garage rents increasing by 3% from 1 April 2019; and

           

(3)        service charges to remain at their existing levels, with the exception of the charges specified below from 1 April 2019:-

 

·         10% increase in emergency lighting testing in line with routine testing costs and additional installations;

·         20% decrease in respect of the Older Persons’ property service charges reflecting a frozen post; and

·         5% reduction in respect of door entry systems in line with system maintenance costs.