Agenda item

(Director of Housing) To consider the attached report.

The Panel received a report from the Director of Housing regarding Housing Improvements and Service Enhancements – HRA Financial Plan.

At its meeting on 5 December 2011, the Cabinet approved the strategic approach to the new 30-Year HRA Financial Plan. The agreed approach was to plan the repayment of the required loans to fund the CLG’s debt settlement over a 30 year period. This enabled the Council to maintain the housing stock to a modern standard, implement a new Council Housebuilding Programme and allow a lower rent increase in April 2012 than assumed by the Government. It also allowed for an additional £770,000 per annum to fund housing and service improvements. The Cabinet had asked the Panel to consider and recommend a proposal list of housing improvements and service enhancements, utilising the additional funding. A proposed list of 14 housing improvements and service enhancements were submitted to the Panel, they were as follows:

(a)        Acceleration of the Programme to install mains-powered smoke detectors in every Council property within 4/5 years

(b)        Provision of a free Handyperson Scheme for older and disabled tenants living in sheltered and other Council accommodation

(c)        Increasing the Disabled Adaptations Budget for one year

(d)        Conversion of existing toilet facilities in communal areas of sheltered housing schemes and community halls into disabled toilets

(e)        Refurbishment of the Common Room and Kitchen Area at Jessopp Court, Waltham Abbey

(f)         Expansion and refurbishment of the Council’s Play Area on the Princesfield Estate, Waltham Abbey

(g)        Making the existing temporary Part time Housing Officer (Social Housing Fraud) post permanent and full time (already recommended to the Cabinet)

(h)        Creation of a Senior Housing Officer (Social Housing Fraud) Post

(i)         Installation of Key Safes at Sheltered Housing Schemes

(j)         Creation of a new Post of Housing Under-Occupation Officer

(k)        Increasing the existing budget for Estate Improvements and Enhancements

(l)         Expansion of the VAEF Garden Maintenance Scheme for Older and Disabled Tenants

(m)      Provision of additional dog waste bins on housing estates

(n)        In-Year Housing Improvements and Enhancements Fund

At the meeting, it was suggested an additional proposal of providing a one-off grant of £10,000 to the Furniture Recycling Scheme Project that was trying to establish itself within the District, which the Panel agreed to include within the list recommended to the Cabinet.

It was estimated that the following additional funding could be made available within the Financial Plan for further housing improvements and service enhancements in future years:

(i)         An additional £750,000 per annum from April 2013;

(ii)        A further £250,000 per annum from April 2017;

(iii)       The bringing forward of the previously planned £4.7 million increase by one year in April 2019; and

(iv)       An additional £250,000 per annum in April 2019.

It was proposed that a further recommendation be made to the Cabinet that, at it meeting in January 2013, the Panel consider and recommend to the Cabinet the use of both the remaining and any additional funding available within the HRA Financial Plan for housing improvements and service enhancements in 2013/14 and future years.

The Tenants and leaseholders Federation had considered the proposals in advance of the Panel meeting and had supported all the proposals put forward by officers.

RECOMMENDED:

(1)        That, the Panel reports to the Cabinet and recommend the list of Housing Improvements and Service Enhancements funded from the £770,000 per annum budget included within the 30-Year HRA Financial Plan as a result of the HRA self-financing arrangements;

(2)        That, the Cabinet be asked to record the detailed recommendations emboldened in the Cabinet minutes;

(3)        That a recommendation be made to the Cabinet that, at its meeting in January 2013, the Housing Scrutiny Standing Panel consider and recommend to the Cabinet the use of both the remaining and any additional funding available within the HRA Financial Plan for housing improvements and service enhancements in 2013/14 and future years, after consultation with the Tenants and Leaseholders Federation;

(4)        That the Panel’s report to the Cabinet be based on the content and approach of the report by officers to the Panel; and

(5)        That the Panel Chairman present this report to the Cabinet on the 23 April 2012.