Issue - meetings

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is a separate account within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council’s budgets that ring-fences the income and expenditure associated with the council’s homes in the Bournemouth and Poole neighbourhoods. 

Housing management services are currently provided by an in-house service in Bournemouth and by Poole Housing Partnership in Poole.

A review of how we manage council homes within the BCP Council area is underway through the Housing Management Model review. Consultation with residents on the preferred option to create a new service combining the best of services from both neighbourhoods has concluded. The information that has been gathered will be used to help design the potential new single service within the council which could be in place later this year.

This report seeks approval for the proposed budget for the HRA for 2022/23 and the key principles on which it is based.

It sets out the proposals regarding the rents, service charges and other charges to tenants as well as the expenditure plans for the 2022/23 rent year.

These proposals and the actions within the attached delivery plans support the priorities set out in the Council’s Corporate Strategy.

Emphasis will be placed on building safety and achieving carbon reduction targets through improvements to homes. Funding of £1 million will be made available through the capital programme to support carbon reduction. There is a significant development programme to provide homes for rent through the HRA which will be approved through the Council’s New Build Housing and Acquisition Strategy (CNHAS).

The Portfolio Holder for People and Homes presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix '?' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is a separate account within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council’s budgets that ring-fences the income and expenditure associated with the council’s homes in the Bournemouth and Poole neighbourhoods. 

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that housing management services are currently provided by an in-house service in Bournemouth and by Poole Housing Partnership in Poole, and that a review of how we manage council homes within the BCP Council area is underway through the Housing Management Model review.

Further to this Cabinet was advised that consultation with residents on the preferred option to create a new service combining the best of services from both neighbourhoods has concluded, and that the information that has been gathered will be used to help design the potential new single service within the council which could be in place later this year.

Cabinet was informed that the report sought approval for the proposed budget for the HRA for 2022/23 and the key principles on which it is based, and that it sets out the proposals regarding the rents, service charges and other charges to tenants as well as the expenditure plans for the 2022/23 rent year.

Cabinet was advised that these proposals and the actions within the attached delivery plans support the priorities set out in the Council’s Corporate Strategy, and that emphasis will be placed on building safety and achieving carbon reduction targets through improvements to homes.

Further to this Cabinet was advised that funding of £1 million will be made available through the capital programme to support carbon reduction, and that there is a significant development programme to provide homes for rent through the HRA which will be approved through the Council’s New Build Housing and Acquisition Strategy (CNHAS).

RECOMMENDED that: -

(a)           Revenue budgets for 2022/23 and provisionally for 2023/24 to 2026/27 are set using the following principles:

                    (i)    That dwelling rents are increased by 4.1 per cent (CPI for September 2021 + 1 per cent) from 4 April 2022 in line with the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Policy statement on rents for social housing published in February 2019 (Rent Policy Statement).

                   (ii)    That garage rental charges are increased by 4.1 per cent from the 4 April 2022. That rental charges for garage bases and parking plots in the Bournemouth neighbourhood also increase by 4.1 per cent from 4 April 2022.

                 (iii)    That leasehold services are charged to leaseholders in line with actual costs incurred.

                 (iv)    That the changes to service charges are agreed as set out in appendix 2.

                   (v)    That the annual bad debt charge is increased to £0.4 million.

                 (vi)    That the depreciation budget is set at £11.7 million.

               (vii)    That HRA reserves should be maintained at a minimum level  ...  view the full decision text for item 130

The Portfolio Holder for People and Homes presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is a separate account within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council’s budgets that ring-fences the income and expenditure associated with the council’s homes in the Bournemouth and Poole neighbourhoods. 

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that housing management services are currently provided by an in-house service in Bournemouth and by Poole Housing Partnership in Poole, and that a review of how we manage council homes within the BCP Council area is underway through the Housing Management Model review.

Further to this Cabinet was advised that consultation with residents on the preferred option to create a new service combining the best of services from both neighbourhoods has concluded, and that the information that has been gathered will be used to help design the potential new single service within the council which could be in place later this year.

Cabinet was informed that the report sought approval for the proposed budget for the HRA for 2022/23 and the key principles on which it is based, and that it sets out the proposals regarding the rents, service charges and other charges to tenants as well as the expenditure plans for the 2022/23 rent year.

Cabinet was advised that these proposals and the actions within the attached delivery plans support the priorities set out in the Council’s Corporate Strategy, and that emphasis will be placed on building safety and achieving carbon reduction targets through improvements to homes.

Further to this Cabinet was advised that funding of £1 million will be made available through the capital programme to support carbon reduction, and that there is a significant development programme to provide homes for rent through the HRA which will be approved through the Council’s New Build Housing and Acquisition Strategy (CNHAS).

Councillor Rice addressed the Cabinet with regards to the use of the £1 million towards making social housing more carbon neutral, and in relation to this questioned how easy it would be to apply this to houses already built.

In relation to this the Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Transport advised that there was now an energy expert within the climate action team who would be able to assist with looking at ways in which work can be carried out to existing properties and retro fit work which can be done.

RECOMMENDED that: -

(a)           Revenue budgets for 2022/23 and provisionally for 2023/24 to 2026/27 are set using the following principles:

                    (i)    That dwelling rents are increased by 4.1 per cent (CPI for September 2021 + 1 per cent) from 4 April 2022 in line with the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Policy statement on rents for social housing published in February 2019 (Rent Policy Statement).

                   (ii)    That garage rental charges are increased by 4.1 per  ...  view the full minutes text for item 130