Gosport Borough Council Housing Board Meeting

Apologies for non attendance were received from Councillor Jessop who was substituted by Councillor Burgess

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RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 25 September were signed as a true and correct record.

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Consideration was given to a report by the Borough Treasurer and Housing Services Manager considering the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan Financial Model including the revised 2024/25 budget and the 2025/26 budget including recommendations on rent levels for next year.

It also updated the members on the latest information with regard to policy changes that impact directly on local authority housing finance services.

The Chairman advised the Board that Hayley McKay was attending Board in her new role as Head of Housing (Interim)

Officers drew Members attention to an error in paragraph 3.2 of the report. The line should read: Capital investment for 2024/25 and 2025/26 is £15.1m over next two years and is geared towards maximizing the use of other available resources and use of borrowing as last resort.

In answer to a Members question, officers advised that consultants would only be engaged if recruitment for the interim asset management policy managers role was unsuccessful.

Members agreed that the abolition of the national subsidy system had been a positive step and had freed up more money to be spent on housing or repaying of debt.

Officers explained that the national formula means that properties can reach a target rent, above which the authority cannot charge, hence the anomaly in the rent of a 5 bedroomed property.

Members were advised that the work involved in bringing void properties up to standard when the tenant vacates had prevented a quicker turnaround in re-letting. Since Covid officers were noticing an increase in the vulnerability of some tenants and access to properties to survey or make repairs had become more difficult. The age of the properties also meant that more involved repairs and renewals were required. Officers do charge tenants for any non wear and tear damage, and recent discussions with contractors had focused on reducing the time that a property is empty.

Officers advised that the increase in arrears were partly due to some tenants switching to Universal Credit, and also the effect of the cost of living crisis. Officers worked closely with tenants to mitigate these arrears and also employ resources from the CAB to offer a budgeting service. Eviction was always seen as a last resort and no tenant had been evicted for arrears in 2024.

Members advised officers that they found the report very informative and easy to understand. They also praised the Cost of Living help pages on the GBC website which they had found useful.

RESOLVED: That the Housing Board recommends to Full Council that:

i) Council Dwelling rents increase by CPI + 1% (2 .7%) as set out in the Social Housing rent guidance.

ii) The revised HRA Business Plan Financial Model extract (Appendix A) and associated 2024/25 revised budget and 2025/26 Budget (Appendix B) is agreed.

iii) Service charges increase on average by 3 %

iv) The rent for all garages increases in line with inflation as agreed in the garage renewal strategy.