Agenda item

(Finance Portfolio Holder) To consider the minutes from the recent meeting of the Finance & Performance Management Cabinet Committee, held on 12 November 2015, and any recommendations therein.

“Invest to Save” Proposals

(1) That the proposal for Rental Loans and Landlord Deposits for Homeless Applicants, in the sum of £30,000 per annum for three years, be agreed, with the following conditions:

(a) that the scheme be reviewed within the initial three year period of operation; and

(b) that priority within the scheme be given to Landlord Deposit Loans as these were more likely to be recovered;

(2) That a report be submitted by the Housing Portfolio Holder to the next meeting of the Cabinet to consider whether or not:

(a) use of the agreed budget referred to in Decision (1) above should also be allowed for the provision of rental loans to potentially homeless families with dependent children;

(b) the review referred to in Decision (1)(a) above should be undertaken by the Housing Select Committee; and

(c) loans and deposits repaid by applicants should be recycled to provide further loans and deposits to potentially homeless households;

(3) That the proposal for the appointment of a Consultant to review the management of the Off-Street Car Parks by the North Essex Parking Partnership, in the sum of £15,000, be agreed;

Funding of Two Citizens Advice Bureau Debt Advisors

(4) That an exception be made to the moratorium for 2016/17 on the HRA Service Improvements and Service Enhancements Fund and £42,000 be used from the Fund to extend the funding of the Citizens Advice Bureau’s two existing Debt Advisors for a further year from 1 April 2016, subject to the following conditions:

(a) that the Bureau’s District Manager be requested to attend an appropriate meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to make a presentation on the use and outcomes of all of the Council’s Grant Funding to the Citizens Advice Bureau in 2016/17; and

(b) that a review of the funding be undertaken in 2016;

Charging Plan for Housing Related Support Services

(5) That the separate charges for the Council’s Careline Service, Scheme Management Service and Intensive Housing Management Support be increased annually in accordance with the following principles:

(a) The expected amount of reduction in Essex County Council funding for the forthcoming year should be added to the current service deficit (or subtracted from the current service surplus) - this was the total deficit/surplus to be recovered/repaid;

(b) The deficit for the Scheme Management Service should be recovered over a five-year period and should therefore be divided by the number of years remaining between April 2016 and April 2021 - this was the service deficit to be recovered in the forthcoming year;

(c) Any deficit/surplus for the Careline Service should be recovered/repaid in the following year - this was the service deficit/surplus to be recovered/repaid in the forthcoming year;

(d) The prevailing level of annual pay increases, as calculated by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), should then be applied to the total current income received from current charges and added/deducted to/from the service deficit/surplus to be recovered/repaid, in the forthcoming year - this would result in the total amount to be recovered/repaid in the forthcoming year;

(e) The total amount to be recovered/repaid should then be spread across service users, in the same proportions as currently, as follows:

(i) Scheme management and intensive housing management charges - Sheltered tenants and area tenants; and

(ii) Careline charges – Council tenants and private users;

(f) The resultant monetary increase (but not the percentage increase) for those both in receipt and not in receipt of housing benefit should be the same; and

(g) The methodology used to calculate the increases in accordance with the above principles should be as set out at Appendices 2 and 3 attached to the Cabinet Committee report;

(6) That only 50% of the expected Essex County Council Housing Related Support funding reduction in 2016/17 be taken into account when calculating Housing Related Support charges for 2016/17; and

(7) Accordingly, using the above principle and the methodology at Appendices 2 and 3 attached to the Cabinet Committee report, the Housing Related Support charges for 2016/17 be set as follows:

(a) Careline:

Council tenants:

Self-funders - £3.60 per week

In receipt of housing benefit - £0.55 per week

Private users - £112 per annum

(b) Scheme Management:

Sheltered tenants:

Self-funders - £8.61 per week

In receipt of housing benefit - £1.57 per week

Area tenants:

Self-funders - £2.16 per week

In receipt of housing benefit - £0.39 per week

(c) Intensive Housing Management (not paid by those in receipt of housing benefit)

Sheltered tenants - £1.52 per week

Area tenants - £0.38 per week

Fees and Charges 2016/17

(8) That the use of Labour Inflation Rate (2.8%) as a guide for any proposed increases of the Council’s fees and charges for 2016/17 be agreed;

(9) That, as set out in the Appendices attached to the Cabinet Committee report, the proposed fees and charges for 2016/17 be approved subject to the following proposed increases within the Communities Directorate for Play in the Forest and Neighbourhoods Directorate for application events:

(a) Play in the Forest - £3.00;

(b) Basic food hygiene course - £75.00;

(c) Animal boarding - £310.00;

(d) Dog Breeding - £310.00;

(e) Pet Animals Act - £310.00;

(f) Dangerous wild animals - £675.00;

(g) Riding establishment - £675.00; and

(h) Zoo’s - £550.00; ;

(10) That the proposed schedule of Housing Revenue Account fees and charges for 2016/17 be approved, subject to the following amendments agreed earlier in the meeting relating to Housing Related Support Charges:

(a) Careline:

Council tenants:

Self-funders - £3.60 per week

In receipt of housing benefit - £0.55 per week

Private users - £112 per annum

(b) Scheme Management:

Sheltered tenants:

Self-funders - £8.61 per week

In receipt of housing benefit - £1.57 per week

Area tenants:

Self-funders - £2.16 per week

In receipt of housing benefit - £0.39 per week

(c) Intensive Housing Management (not paid by those in receipt of housing benefit)

Sheltered tenants - £1.52 per week

Area tenants - £0.38 per week

The Finance Portfolio Holder presented the minutes from the recent meeting of the Finance & Performance Management Cabinet Committee, held on 12 November 2015.

The Cabinet Committee had made recommendations to the Cabinet concerning: “Invest to Save” Proposals; the funding of two Citizens Advice Bureau Debt Advisors; the Charging Plan for Housing Related Support Charges; and the proposed Fees and Charges for 2016/17. Other issues considered by the Cabinet Committee included: the results for the Key Performance Indicators during Quarter 2 of 2015/16; the mid-Year report on Treasury Management & the Prudential Indicators for 2015/16; the Annual Audit Letter for 2014/15; the Quarterly Financial Monitoring Reports; and the draft General Fund Continuing Services Budget and District Development Fund Lists and Savings Updates.

Decision: