Decision details

To seek Cabinet's views on the proposed housing capital and revenue budgets for 2003/2004, including a rent increase for the council housing stock and to recommend a new staff structure for the estate management service.

56/2003 The Cabinet recommended the following to Council for approval:(i) The adoption of the new staffing structure for the Estate Management Service set out in Appendix B1.(ii) The proposed Revenue and Capital Budgets for 2003/2004, inclusive of an average rent increase of £2.07 per week (based upon 50 collection weeks) and an increase in service charges of 3% set out in paragraph 4.2.1.(iii) The proposed increase in garage rent charges by 3%.(iv) The Housing Capital Budget be consolidated into two budget headings, Planned Maintenance and Disabled Adaptations.
57/2003 The Cabinet approved the following:(i) The extension of the Building Maintenance Term contract to 1 April 2004.(ii) A 100% stock survey be carried out, to meet the decent homes standard, by an in-house team of four, full time temporary surveyors over a 6 month period at a cost of £72,000 (option 4c in the addendum report), for the collection of stock condition data to meet the Decent Home Standard
58/2003 The Cabinet noted the performance measures and targets including those for management and maintenance costs per property.

Under the terms of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 the Council should set a balanced budget for the HRA, whilst taking into account a review of housing stock rent levels on an annual basis in line with government directives on rent restructuring.The new staffing structure has been proposed to address criticisms identified within the recent Audit Commission inspection and to improve performance in line with best value objectives.The extension of the building maintenance contract until April 2004 will provide the Council with the opportunity to fully appraise alternative options for delivery of a responsive maintenance service.The proposed stock condition survey needs to be carried out in order to inform progress against the government's initiative for all local authority housing to meet the decent homes standard (DHS), targets of which need to be met by 2004 and in full by 2010.