Agenda item

The Council considered a report which was presented by Councillor Jane Nightingale, Cabinet Member for Housing, which set out the Housing Revenue Account Budget proposals for 2017/18 along with the medium term financial forecast for the next three years.  The account had a budget in order to break even and was targeted to have a working balance of £4 million over the next four years.  Councillor Nightingale informed the Chamber that the key points to note within the report included the following:-

·         Housing rents were to decrease by 1% in 2017/18 and in the two years following.  This decrease was a statutory change which was included within the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. 2017/18 was the second of a four year period in which the 1% reduction would be applied.  Whilst the reduction had significantly reduced the resources available within the HRA, Councillor Nightingale assured Members that the Council was confident that this would not reduce their ability to deliver excellent, value for money services to all its tenants.  It did mean that the Council would be limited in the number of new build Council houses that it was able to delivery, but the Council was working with other partners to look at alternative options for housing delivery;

·         The average rent in Doncaster would remain the lowest of all South Yorkshire Councils at £70.20 per week;

·         All other fees and charges were frozen.  Members noted that this was possible as the Council had invested in all areas across the Housing Service and the charges being frozen were self-funding and were not subsidised by other tenants who did not receive the services.  It was reported that these charges would be kept under review in future years, in order to ensure that they remained at the correct levels; and

·         The HRA continued to fund £32 million of investment within the Council Stock during 2017/18, with the main areas of investment being the new build programme, the regeneration of the Bristol Grove area in Wheatley and the continued investment in new energy efficient boilers and heating systems, and new roofs including fascias, gutters and soffits.

Following presentation of the Housing Revenue Account Budget proposals, Members were afforded the opportunity to comment on the report.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 21.4, a recorded vote was taken on the recommendations contained within the report, which was declared as follows:-

For – 48

The Chair of Council, Councillor David Nevett, the Vice-Chair of Council Councillor George Derx, the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Glyn Jones and Councillors Nick Allen, Nigel Ball,

Iris Beech, Joe Blackham, Rachael Blake, Elsie Butler, Bev Chapman,

Phil Cole, Jane Cox, Steve Cox, Jessie Credland, Susan Durant, Nuala Fennelly, Neil Gethin, Pat Haith, John Healy, Rachel Hodson,

Charlie Hogarth, Sandra Holland, Mark Houlbrook, R. Allan Jones,

Ken Keegan, Majid Khan, Jane Kidd, Ted Kitchen, Pat Knight,

Chris McGuinness, Sue McGuinness, John McHale, Bill Mordue,

John Mounsey, Jane Nightingale, Andy Pickering, Andrea Robinson,

Kevin Rodgers, Craig Sahman, Alan Smith, Clive Stone, Austen White,

Sue Wilkinson, Jonathan Wood and Paul Wray.

Against – 0

Abstain – 0

On being put to the meeting, the Housing Revenue Account was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED that the Housing Revenue Account budget proposals, as detailed within the report, be approved including:-

(1)       rents be reduced from 3rd April, 2017 by 1.0%, as detailed in paragraphs 7 to 10, in line with Government policy; this will result in an average weekly rent decrease of £0.71, resulting in an average rent of approximately £70.21 per week and rents will be charged every week of the year;

(2)       the budget proposals for the HRA for 2017/18, which are contained in Appendix A, which set a balanced budget for the Housing Revenue Account and maintain a reserve of £4.0m; and

(3)       fees and charges as detailed in paragraph 13 of the report.