Agenda item - Estate Development Budget 2019/20

7.1       Hilary Edgar, Housing Service Operations Manager, gave a brief overview of the current status of the Estate Development Budget, she highlighted the aims, financial stats and the economic reality of the budget. She outlined the brief series of events leading to the recommendations and noted the upcoming set up of both a task and finish group and of updating Service Improvement Groups.

7.2       Residents had the following concerns, enquiries and statements:

·         There was a request for a deputy for the Service Home Group

·         Concerns were expressed regarding BHCC parking for free

·         Residents queried the reason for the diminishing budget when rent was being increased

7.3      Officers responded to resident’s concerns, enquiries and statements with the following:

·         It was clarified that rents did increase every year however they had decreased by 1% in previous years

·         It was further clarified that HR were reducing in line with reducing rent

·         BHCC could only spend HRA on residents and not other things, HRA couldn’t be ne used to subsidise other areas of the Council

·         It was clarified that the Estate Development Budget was partially decreasing due to fixing existing homes and maintenance and was used to invest in more housing as it was the most secure form of renting homes in any area

·         It was emphasised that Council housing rents were still cheaper than private rent

7.4      The Chair clarified that the Estate Development Budget related to the Council rents was not Council tax. She further enquired if chain link fencing could be made part of a wider review on options for fencing.

7.5      RESOLVED – That the recommendations be agreed.