Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport.

The Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport (Councillor Sheila Bailey) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Council Meeting to set the level of rent and service charges in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and approve the HRA budget for 2021/22.

RESOLVED - That approved be given to:-

(a)       An increase of 1.5% for social rent;

(b)       An increase of 1.1% for rent of shared ownership properties;

(c)        Service charge increases as outlined in section 3;

(d)       The Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2020/21 as set out in Appendix 1.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport.

The purpose of this report is to provide the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on an illustrative Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget. The Cabinet will be meeting on 9 February to recommend to Council a HRA budget for 2021/22, including the level of rent and service charges.  The illustrative budget is based on a number of key assumptions set out in the report regarding income from rent and service charges; expenditure commitments contained within the HRA 30 year Business Plan and Asset Management Strategy and indicative spending requirements to support inflationary pressures and identified investment priorities.

This report takes account of the HRA Rent Strategy 2020 - 2025 which was approved by the Cabinet on 20 August 2019.

The Cabinet is asked to recommend that the Council Meeting approves:

(a)       An increase in the social rent of 1.5% for dwelling rents. There are no individual rents within the HRA stock which are above the rent cap.;

(b)       An increase of 1.1% for rents of shared ownership properties;

(c)       Services charge increases as outlined in Section 3;

(d)       The Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 1.

Officer contact: Michael Cullen on 0161 474 4631 or email: michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Cabinet to consider the rent levels and service charges for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and a recommended budget for 2021/22.

RESOLVED – That the Council Meeting be recommended to approve the following in relation to the Housing Revenue Account:-

(a)       An increase in the social rent of 1.5% for dwelling rents. There are no  individual rents within the HRA stock which are above the rent cap.;

(b)       An increase of 1.1% for rents of shared ownership properties;

(c)       Services charge increases as outlined in Section 3 of the report;

(d)          The Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 1.

To consider a joint Report of the Corporate Director (Place) & Deputy Chief Executive and the Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) & Deputy Chief Executive.

The purpose of this report is to provide the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on an illustrative Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget. The Cabinet will be meeting on 9 February to recommend to Council a HRA budget for 2021/22, including the level of rent and service charges.  The illustrative budget is based on a number of key assumptions set out in the report regarding income from rent and service charges; expenditure commitments contained within the HRA 30 year Business Plan and Asset Management Strategy and indicative spending requirements to support inflationary pressures and identified investment priorities.

This report takes account of the HRA Rent Strategy 2020 - 2025 which was approved by the Cabinet on 20 August 2019.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to comment on the report and the illustrative HRA Budget for 2021/22. 

Officer contact: Michael Cullen on 0161 474 4631 or email: michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director (Place) & Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an illustrative Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget for 2021/22 including the level of rent and service charges.  The illustrative budget was based on a number of key assumptions set out in the report regarding income from rent and service charges; expenditure commitments contained within the HRA 30-year Business Plan and Asset Management Strategy and indicative spending requirements to support inflationary pressures and identified investment priorities.

The Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was noted that rent levels in Stockport were notably lower than other boroughs in Greater Manchester and in future years work needed to take place to bring Stockport more in line with the average for the conurbation.  In response it was stated that the current administration was opposed to any significant increase in rent levels, and it was further stated that rent increases were currently calculated by way of reference to a national formula that was outside the control of the Council.

·         It was queried why there remained some properties that were subject to communal energy charges and whether this disincentivised energy efficiency.

·         It was noted that the response to the consultation on the proposed rent levels was quite low and whether more could be done to engage with tenants.  However, it was stated that a lot of work goes into ensuring that information is disseminated to residents, and that the response rate had not varied significantly from that in previous years.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.