Issue - meetings

Housing Rent 2017/18

Meeting: 25/01/2017 - Council Meeting (Item 112)

112 RECOMMENDATION FROM CABINET - HOUSING RENT 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 45 KB

To consider recommendations from Cabinet in respect of housing rents for 2017/18.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved:-  (1)  That Rotherham’s Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2017/18 be unchanged from 2016/17.

 

(2)  That Council Tax discounts and premiums not be changed for 2017/18.

 

(3)  That the amount calculated by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council as its Council Tax Base and those of the Parish Councils shown at Appendix A for 2017/18 shall be a total of 68,235.14 Band D Equivalent Properties.

 

Mover:-  Councillor Beck                        Seconder:-  Councillor Read

 

(Councillors Allcock, Andrews, Lelliott, McNeely, Napper, Reeder, Short and Wyatt declared personal and disclosable pecuniary interests on the grounds of being Council tenants and/or family members tenants.  They all left the room and did not participate in any debate or decision)

 

(Councillors Atkin, Cusworth, Hague, Keenan, Marles, Senior and Williams declared personal interests on the grounds that family members were Council tenants)


Meeting: 09/01/2017 - Cabinet and Commissioners' Decision Making Meeting (during Government Intervention - 18 January 2016 to 23 September 2018) (Item 157)

157 Housing Rent 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Report of the Strategic Director of Adult Care and Housing

 

Cabinet Member:     Councillor Beck

Commissioner:         Myers (in advisory role)

 

Recommendations:-

 

1.    That Cabinet note the content of the report.

 

2.    That Cabinet resolves to recommend to Council the following changes to Housing Rents charges:-

 

(a)    That dwelling rents are reduced by 1% for 2017/18 in line with the requirements outlined in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. The average dwelling rent for 2017/18 will be £73.29 per week over 52 weeks, an average reduction of £0.74 per week.

(b)    The average rent for the energy efficient council properties will also reduce by 1% to £94.48 per week, an average reduction of £0.95 per week.

(c)    That there is a 1% increase to charges for garage rents, communal facilities, laundry facilities and cooking gas in 2017/18 in line with the increase in Consumer Price Index (CPI) as at September 2016.

(d)    That Cabinet note the draft Housing Revenue Account budget for 2017/18.

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval for the proposed values for the setting of the housing rents and non-dwelling rents for 2017-18.

 

Further information was provided on the changes to the Government’s policy on social housing rents which resulted in the requirement to reduce dwelling rents by 1% over four years from April, 2016.  To comply with the legislation rents would be reduced by 1% for a second year from April, 2017, which would be of welcome relief by tenants.

 

However, this change to the rent formula from 2016/17 would result in the Council receiving less income than under the current formula over four years and,  therefore, impact on the Housing Revenue Account and ability to maintain quality accommodation for those people that needed it most.

 

Cabinet Members noted the Government direction to reduce housing rent and the apparent policy reversal on working towards rent convergence.

 

Resolved:-

 

1.         That the contents of the report be noted.

 

2.         That Council be recommended to approve the following changes to Housing Rents charges:-

 

(a)       That dwelling rents be reduced by 1% for 2017/18 in line with the requirements outlined in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. The average dwelling rent for 2017/18 will be £73.29 per week over 52 weeks, an average reduction of £0.74 per week.

 

(b)      The average rent for the energy efficient Council properties will also reduce by 1% to £94.48 per week, an average reduction of £0.95 per week.

 

(c)       That there is a 1% increase to charges for garage rents, communal facilities, laundry facilities and cooking gas in 2017/18 in line with the increase in Consumer Price Index (CPI) as at September 2016.

 

3.      That the draft Housing Revenue Account budget for 2017/18 (Appendix A) be noted.