Agenda item

Adam Oxley, Principal Finance Business Partner:

a)    presented a report to Housing Scrutiny Sub-Committee with a summary of the second quarter’s performance (up to 30 September 2024), on the Council’s:

·       Housing Revenue Account

·       Housing Repairs Service

·       Housing Investment Programme

b)    provided information on the Council’s:

·       Housing Revenue Account –– For 2024/25 the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) net revenue budget was set with a planned contribution from balances of £101,220, resulting in estimated general balances at year-end of £1,030,024, after allowing for the 2023/24 outturn position. The HRA was currently projecting a forecast underspend of £519,410, which would result in HRA balances of £1,549,435 as at the end of 2024/25 (Appendix A provided a forecast Housing Revenue Account summary). Although the forecast position was an overspend there was a number of significant variations in income and expenditure. Full details of the main variances were provided at Appendix B.

·       Housing Repairs Service – For 2024/25 the Council’s Housing Repairs Service (HRS) net budget was set at zero, which reflected its full cost recovery nature. At quarter 2 the HRS were forecasting a deficit of £17,146 in 2024/25, an improvement  of £338,165 since quarter 1, which had subsequently been repatriated to the HRA. Full details of the main variances were provided at Appendix C.

·       Housing Investment Programme – The revised programme for 2024/25 amounted to £17.650m following the Quarter 1 position. At quarter 2 the programme had been decreased by £0,219m to £17.432m as shown at paragraph 7.2 of the report. The overall expenditure on the Housing Investment Programme at the end of quarter 2 was £5.730m, which was 32.87% of the 2024/25 revised programme. This excluded expenditure relating to Western Growth Corridor, which was currently shown on the General Investment Programme (GIP), to be apportioned at year end (current forecast outturn £1.3m) as detailed at Appendix J of the report. A further £1,091m had been spent as at the end of October 2024, although this was still a low percentage of expenditure at this stage of the financial year, works had been constrained by the availability of contractors and materials, however, new contracts were in place and spend expected to increase by the end of the financial year.

c)    invited members questions and comments.

Members of Housing Scrutiny Sub-Committee considered the content of the report in further detail, asked questions and received relevant responses from officers as follows:

Question: Were the wider site costs for the Western Growth Corridor approved at Executive on 22 July 2024 funded through the Housing Revenue Account (HRA)?

Response: Yes. This was correct. The HRA owned 79% of Western Growth Corridor land.

Question: How many tenants were on the waiting list for aids and adaptations, which had increased substantially over the last two years?

Response: The budget came from the capital programme. Officers would investigate further and report back to members in due course.

Comment: Developers might wish to take account of the opportunity for new tenants to qualify for help with aids and adaptations on completion of their build.

Response: Aids and adaptations were included within our technical specifications for new builds.

Question: New builds were classified as houses for life?

Response: Yes, together with adaptations.

Councillor Alan Briggs complemented officers on their achievements to bring about a reduction in void loss garage rental income.

RESOLVED that:

1.    Further information be provided to members as requested above.

2.    The financial performance for the period 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024 be noted with thanks.