Agenda item

The Interim Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan is a strategic update of the 2005-35 HRA Business Plan, giving up to date information on the nature and condition of the housing stock and targets for improving the service in the future.

Discussion:

The Head of Strategic Housing introduced a report on the Interim Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan 2011-2012.

It was explained that the council had produced a 30-year business plan in 2005. The interim plan acted as a strategic update and brought together information from a number of documents. It provided up-to-date information on the nature and condition of the housing stock, recent management performance and targets for improving the service in the future. It was noted that due to the current uncertainty of the policy environment, the Business Plan has been developed as an interim plan on a planning horizon of 1 year. 

Members discussed the interim plan in detail and during the discussion officers set out the background to the council’s current HRA stock. This included details of:

·        the housing stock options appraisal undertaken in 2005 and the recommendation from the stakeholder forum for the council to retain ownership of the stock

·        the implications of the government’s new self-financing scheme for council housing and building new homes

·        recent analysis on the future need for older people’s accommodation undertaken in partnership with Oxford Brookes University.

It was also noted that a housing briefing session had been included as part of the 2011 Member Development Programme and officers undertook to notify Committee Members as to the details of this session.

In response to specific questions the Committee was advised that:

·              the Interim Business Plan included a review of the Council Sheltered Housing units, many of which were becoming difficult to let. This would judge their suitability and effectiveness and, making use of the Housing Quality Indicators, would include consideration of alternative uses, such as redevelopment or conversion, demand and the proximity to transport links and shops etc.

·              the reported increase in applicants joining the council’s Housing Register was likely to be a reflection of the wider economic situation and also increased awareness.

·              work was underway to improve the energy efficiency of homes, such as cavity wall insulation, and officers undertook to explore the possibility of widening the offer in areas of mixed use and communal areas.

·              the budgetary process for the Major Repairs Allowance had been revised since 2010/11.

The Committee also discussed the role of the Housing Improvement Board, which formed part of the new resident involvement structure contained within the interim plan, and considered the role of councillors in this process. Members were reminded that the Committee had agreed in January 2011 that the chairman of the Housing Improvement Board be invited on an annual basis to the committee to provide a review of the board’s work and that the involvement of Members in the work of the board could be considered then.

In relation to the development of a Community Involvement Strategy, listed as an action for tenant involvement and empowerment, it was requested that officers report back to the Committee on the delivery of the ‘projects and actions for 2011/12’ cited within the plan.

In light of the proportion of the HRA projected capital expenditure attributed to ‘planned maintenance’ officers agreed to include as an annex to the interim plan a breakdown of planned maintenance.

During the discussion of this item Members identified a number of typographical errors that should be addressed prior to submission of the Interim Plan to Cabinet.

A Diversity Impact Assessment screening form had been completed and was attached to the report. It was noted that a full diversity impact assessment was not required.

Decision:

a)     The Committee endorsed the Interim HRA Business Plan 2011/12 and recommended its adoption to the Cabinet, subject to the inclusion of an appendix providing details of the capital expenditure on planned maintenance.

b)     The Committee agreed that officers report back to the Committee on the delivery of projects and actions for 2011/12 arising from the Community Involvement Strategy.