Decision details

The Cabinet was invited to consider the:

Ø  Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget estimates for 2019/20;

Ø  Management Fee payable to Solihull Community Housing (SCH); and

Ø  Proposed changes in dwelling and garage rents and leaseholder management fees 2019/20.

In introducing the report the Assistant Director of Finance and Property Services took Members through the report which included details on:

Ø  HRA Estimates 2019/20

Ø  April 2019 rent decreases

Ø  Investment in Housing Stock/Housing Capital Programme

Ø  Solihull Community Management Fee

Ø  2019/20 HRA Reserves

Ø  Garage Rents

Ø  Other Miscellaneous Charges

Ø  Leaseholder Management Fees

Members noted that a grant was available to help SCH fulfil its statutory duties in relation to homelessness, but questioned whether this was sufficient to meet demand. Officers advised that the grant fell outside the Housing Revenue Account, and an Officer within the Council managed the grant. SCH had made a number of successful applications for grant monies, in support of the work they were doing regarding homelessness.

RESOLVED:

(i)  That  an average rent decrease (excluding service charges) of 1.0% (£0.70 per week on a 50-week basis) to £82.33 from 1 April 2019 for HRA stock be approved;

(ii)  That an average rent decrease of 1% (£0.91 per week on a 50-week basis) to £107.38 from 1 April 2019 for SMBC Affordable Homes be approved;

(iii)  That an average rent decrease of 1% for Saxon Court (£1.00 per week on a 50-week basis) to £98.89 from 1 April 2019 be approved;

(iv)  That a rent decrease of 1% from 1 April 2019 for HRA shared ownership properties be approved;

(v)  That the different rent increases for SCH Part Ownership properties and SCH owned Affordable Homes be noted;

(vi)  That the £0.17 per week increase in garage rents from 1 April 2019 be approved;

(vii)  That the increase in Leaseholder Management Fees from £151 to £155 per annum be approved;

(viii)  That the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2019/20 including the SCH Management Fee as set out in the HRA Medium Term Financial Strategy Appendix A to the report be approved;

(ix)  That the three year budget savings set out in Appendix C to the report be approved; and

(x)  That the fees and charges approved by the SCH Board on 10 December 2018 set out in Appendix D to the report be noted.