Issue - meetings
FINAL HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) AND RENT SETTING REPORT 2019/20
Meeting: 23/01/2019 - Executive (Item 4.)
4. FINAL HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) AND RENT SETTING REPORT 2019/20 
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To consider a report for recommendation to Council concerning the 2019/2020 Housing Revenue Account and Budget.
Additional documents:
- Item 4 - Appendix A HRA Final 2019-20 FINAL, item 4.
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- Item 4 - Appendix B Financial Security Options by Strand HRA.sx, item 4.
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- Item 4 - Appendix C HRA Fees Charges 2019-20, item 4.
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- Item 4 - Appendix D FINAL Risk Assessment of Balances 2019-20, item 4.
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- Item 4 - Appendix E Financial Security Options Report Appendix_EQIAs_Jan 19, item 4.
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Decision:
In view of 2019/20 being a 53 week rent year, the Leader requested officers to write to the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, with a copy to the Shadow Secretary of State, expressing the Council’s concern that the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) will only support 52 weeks of rent through Universal Credit, particularly in view of the significant number of claimants in Stevenage; and stressing that this matter should be resolved on a national basis, rather than by individual local authorities.
The Leader was pleased that £150,000 had been included in the 2019/20 HRA budget to help tackle damp and mould issues in Council homes. It was confirmed that the Community Select Committee’s review of damp and mould had included a specific recommendation concerning the need for appropriate resources to be allocated to address this matter. The Strategic Director (MP) undertook to feed this comment back to the Chair and Members of the Community Select Committee.
In respect of the chart set out in Paragraph 4.3.10 of the report, the Assistant Director (Finance & Estates) was requested to clarify to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Council that the figures contained in the chart were cumulative.
It was RESOLVED:
1. ThatCouncil berecommended to approve that HRA dwellingrents notsubjectto the1%rentreduction(currentlyLowStart SharedOwnershipLSSOs) be increased,week commencing1 April 2019,by3.4%i.e.£3.86per week which has beencalculatedusingthe existingrentformula,CPI +1%inline with the RentandServiceCharge Policyapproved attheJanuary2018Council.
2. That Council be recommended to notethatHRA dwellingrents,(other than thoseoutlinedin 1. above) are subjectto the 1%rentreductionfromweek commencing1 Apri ... view the full decision text for item 4.