Decision details

*RESOLVED –

1.   That for 2017/18 individual social rents be set based on the current National Social Rent Policy, giving a cash rent decrease of 1.0% with effect from 3 April 2017.

2.   That for 2017/18 and onwards, where a social rent property is re-let to a new or transferring tenant, the rent level be increased to the target rent for that property.

3.   That for 2017/18 individual affordable rents be set based on the current National Social Rent Policy, giving a cash rent decrease of 1.0% with effect from 3 April 2017.

4.   That for 2017/18 and onwards, where an affordable rent property is re-let to a new or transferring tenant the rent level be set by reference to 80% of the market rent for a similar property at the time of re-letting.

5.   That from 3 April, 2017;

                     I.        heating service charges for Sheltered Schemes are increased from an average of £18.13 to £18.49 per week.

                   II.        garage rents are increased from £6.22 to £6.72 per week.

                  III.        that the annual rental charges for garage sites are increased as below:

·        Shale sites from £42.50 to £45.90

·        Asphalt sites from £53.50 to £57.80

·        Other sites from £58.50 to £63.20

                 IV.        Tenants Metered Water Charges are increased on average from £3.70 to £3.77 per week.

                  V.        the weekly charges for the Garden Assistance Scheme are increased as below:

·        Grass cutting and hedges from £4.45 to £4.70

·        Grass only from £3.15 from £3.30

·        Hedges only from £1.30 to £1.40

                 VI.        the Sheltered Scheme service charge is increased from £12.57 to £12.78 per week.

               VII.        there is no increase in the Sheltered Scheme support charge.

             VIII.        the weekly charges for the Careline service (inclusive of equipment rental) are increased as below:

·        Monitor and Response, £5.50 to £6.00

·        Monitor, Response and support service,  £8 to £8.50

                 IX.        hire rates for Community Rooms be charged at a rate of between £8 and £20 for a 4 hour slot, dependent on the nature of the group hiring the room.

                  X.        the weekly charge for communal staircase cleaning is increased from £1.74 to £2.10.

                 XI.        the Tenant Home Contents Insurance Premium Tax is increased from 9.5% to 10%.

6.   That from no later than 1 April, 2018 the council moves from collecting rent from a 48 to a 52 week basis, and that tenant consultation on this and other changes to the tenancy agreement takes place during 2017/18.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS 

1.   To enable the council to set the level of council house rents in accordance with Government guidelines.

2.   To enable the council to set service charges for 2017/18 and to ensure that the cost of delivering services continues to break even.

3.   To contribute to the council’s Corporate Priority ‘To improve the quality of life for local people’.