Issue - meetings

To update Members on the proposals for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budgets and rent setting for 2026/27, to be considered by Council on 21 January 2026.

Cabinet received a report updating Members on the proposals for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budgets and rent setting for 2026/27, to be considered by Council on 21 January 2026.

In presenting the report, the Portfolio Holder for Housing advised that the proposed 4.8% rent increase from April 2026 equating to an average weekly rise of £5.89 for social rents, £8.85 for affordable rents and £7.29 for shared ownership homes and remained far below private rents.  She advised that the budget ensured protection for tenants and home improvements would continue.

The Portfolio Holder for Resources proposed that recommendation 4 be amended to request approval to the HRA budget for 2026/27 as set out in Appendix A but as amended for additional salary costs of £385,020.  This would mean that the HRA budget for 2026/27 was a deficit of £243,120 rather than a surplus of £141,900.

Members made the following comments including:

·         The recent meet the builder event for officers, members and residents relating to the redevelopment of the oval was welcomed. The project was an ambitious but exciting initiative which would regenerate the area and would provide great places to live and which were also meeting climate standards.  The regeneration of the area would also include a new Community Centre;

·         The warm homes initiative would ensure the retrofit of hundreds of properties and would help combat fuel poverty and lower energy bills;

·         Compliance measures were being introduced to protect residents from damp and mould;

·         The Council had an ambitious programme to deliver 325 new homes in the next five years and 1470 homes over the next 30 years.

It was RESOLVED:

1.  That HRA dwelling rents be increased (week commencing 1 April 2026) by 4.8%. This equates to an average increase of £5.89 for social rents, £8.85 for affordable rents and £7.29 for Low Start Shared Ownership homes per week (based on a 52-week year), subject to the Government not publishing rent regulations on rent convergence allowing an additional £1 per week for un-converged homes.

2.  That the implementation of rent convergence for 2026/27 rents (as set out in the December Draft Budget report and paragraph 4.1.6 of this report), be approved if regulations are published by the date of the Full Council meeting in January 2026;

3.  That the 2026/27 service charges be approved as set out in paragraph 4.2.

4.  That the HRA budget for 2026/27, set out in Appendix A, be approved and as amended for additional salary costs of £385,020;

5.  That the 2026/27 growth options as set out in section 4.4 be approved;

6.  That the changes from the draft budget in section 4.6 be approved;

7.  That the 2026/27 Fees and Charges as set out in Appendix B be noted.

8.  That the revised minimum levels of balances for 2026/27 shown in Appendix C be approved.

9.  That the Rent Increase Equalities Impact Assessments (EqIA) appended to this report in Appendix D be approved;

10.  That the Capital Strategy detailed in  ...  view the full decision text for item 4

Cabinet received a report updating Members on the proposals for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budgets and rent setting for 2026/27, to be considered by Council on 21 January 2026.

In presenting the report, the Portfolio Holder for Housing advised that the proposed 4.8% rent increase from April 2026 equating to an average weekly rise of £5.89 for social rents, £8.85 for affordable rents and £7.29 for shared ownership homes and remained far below private rents.  She advised that the budget ensured protection for tenants and home improvements would continue.  The budget also included targeted growth for regulatory compliance, such as implementing Awaab’s Law to ensure safe living conditions and tackling damp and mould and funding for enhanced tenant engagement and adaptations to support independent living.

The Portfolio Holder for Resources advised that in addition to the inflation identified in the HRA report for 2026/27 there was a further amount of salary costs that needed to be included in next year’s budget and she proposed that recommendation 4 be amended to request approval to the HRA budget for 2026/27 as set out in Appendix A but as amended for additional salary costs of £385,020.  This would mean that the HRA budget for 2026/27 was a deficit of £243,120 rather than a surplus of £141,900.

The Portfolio Holder advised that the measures outlined would provide resilience and ensure that the Council could continue to deliver high-quality homes and services for residents.

The Leader of the Council advised Members that through the Warm Homes Programme, hundreds of properties would be retrofitted by 2028 and by 2030 the aim was for every home to meet EPC-C standards, subject to grant funding being made available by the Government.  The initiative aimed to combat fuel poverty and lower energy bills.  The Leader also spoke about the Council’s ambitious new homes plan and the Council’s long-term commitment to enhance the quality of life for its tenants.

Members made the following comments including:

·         The recent meet the builder event for officers, members and residents relating to the redevelopment of the oval was welcomed. The project was an ambitious but exciting initiative which would regenerate the area and would provide great places to live and which were also meeting climate standards.  The regeneration of the area would also include a new Community Centre;

·         The warm homes initiative would ensure the retrofit of hundreds of properties and would help combat fuel poverty and lower energy bills;

·         Compliance measures were being introduced to protect residents from damp and mould;

·         The Council had an ambitious programme to deliver 325 new homes in the next five years and 1470 homes over the next 30 years.

It was RESOLVED:

1.  That HRA dwelling rents be increased (week commencing 1 April 2026) by 4.8%. This equates to an average increase of £5.89 for social rents, £8.85 for affordable rents and £7.29 for Low Start Shared Ownership homes per week (based on a 52-week year), subject to the Government not publishing rent regulations on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4