Agenda item

Purpose

1.    The revised 2020/21 and 2021/22 Housing Investment Programme budgets together with the proposed programmes for 2022/23 to 2026/27 were approved by the City Council on 9th February 2021.

2.    The Council Housing Repairs & Maintenance Budgets for 2020/21 and 2021/22 were approved at the Housing Cabinet Decision meeting on 25th January 2021.

3.    The purpose of this report is to inform members of the spending proposed for the next financial year for revenue and capital funded maintenance and improvement programmes for the City Councils retained housing stock together with Housing IT Business Software, and to seek approval to incur expenditure in respect of the capital schemes and rolling programmes and to show how the budgets have been allocated on an area office basis.

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member approves

1.    That the area programmes and allocation of finance for the funding of the Revenue Budgets for repairs and maintenance of dwellings be noted.

2.    That the capital budgets listed in Appendix B and Appendix C commencing in 2021/2022 be approved and the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood  and Building Services be authorised under Financial Rules, Section B14 to proceed with schemes within the sums approved.

3.    That the Director of Finance & Resources and Section 151 Officer financial appraisal be approved for the capital programme - global provision.

DECISIONS

The Cabinet Member for Housing & Preventing Homelessness

1.    Agreed that the area programmes and allocation of finance for the funding of the Revenue Budgets for repairs and maintenance of dwellings be noted.

2.    Agreed that the capital budgets listed in Appendix B and Appendix C commencing in 2021/2022 be approved and the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services be authorised under Financial Rules, Section B14 to proceed with schemes within the sums approved.

3.    Agreed that the Director of Finance & Resources and Section 151 Officer financial appraisal be approved for the capital programme - global provision.

Meredydd Hughes, Assistant Director of Buildings, introduced the report. Graham Fairbrother, IT Business Partner, introduced Appendix C, IT Capital Schemes.

Councillor Corkery said residents generally felt the council was responsive towards repairs; however, some repairs are considered as part of the planned maintenance programme so are not done for some years. He understands the council needs to prioritise work.

In response to questions from members Mr Layton explained the capital budget is based on the depreciation charge; it is not linked to rents but is appropriated to the Major Repairs Reserve each year, is a ring-fenced budget and is used for capital work and repaying debt. However, if there were bigger reserves a surplus could be moved to the Major Repairs Reserve. Councillor Sanders requested an in-depth examination of the depreciation charge to try and reduce it. He noted the effect of the government's reduction of rent levels by 1% for three years which has significantly reduced rental income.

Mr Fairbrother said some IT equipment that is no longer needed is disposed of responsibly by a company on the council's behalf as part of a corporate contract. Other equipment, such as desktop PCs which are no longer needed now more staff have laptops, will be re-used to replace public access computers in Housing offices and HRA funded community centres. The replacement PCs are more fit for purpose as they run Windows 10.

Steve Groves, Head of Building Maintenance, confirmed that sprinklers are fitted in blocks in the following priority order: the tallest blocks first; those with only a single staircase as an escape route; the residents, for example, those in sheltered or supported housing; the presence of mains gas.  

Councillor Sanders thanked officers for the report.

DECISIONS

The Cabinet Member for Housing & Preventing Homelessness

1.    Agreed that the area programmes and allocation of finance for the funding of the Revenue Budgets for repairs and maintenance of dwellings be noted.

2.    Agreed that the capital budgets listed in Appendix B and Appendix C commencing in 2021/2022 be approved and the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services be authorised under Financial Rules, Section B14 to proceed with schemes within the sums approved.

3.    Agreed that the Director of Finance & Resources and Section 151 Officer financial appraisal be approved for the capital programme - global provision.