Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest of a personal nature from Members in respect of the items on this agenda.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 26^th November, 2015.

To consider any communications to be submitted by the Mayor or the Chief Executive.

To consider any questions which may have been received from Elected Members and which are asked pursuant to Standing Order No. 10.

RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL:-

(i)         that the Housing Revenue Account Draft Budget for 2016/17, as detailed in the report now submitted, be approved, with any final amendments/additions being delegated to the Cabinet Spokesperson for Place and the Executive Director for Place;

(ii)        that the Service Charge Proposals for 2016/17, as set out at Appendix D and Sections 3.13 and 3.16, be approved;

(iii)       that the 2016/17 Berneslai Homes Management Fee be approved with any final amendments/additions being delegated to the Service Director Culture, Housing and Regulation and the Executive Director Place in consultation with the Cabinet Spokesperson for Place;

(iv)       that the use of Berneslai Homes Ltd retained surplus as outlined in Section 3.27 be approved;

(v)       that the earmarking of Housing Revenue Account Working Balance as outlined in Sections 3.8 – 3.12 be approved;

(vi)       that the Council Housing Capital Investment Programme for 2020-21 be approved;

(vii)      that a rent reduction in line with Government's rent policy be approved; and

(viii)     that the Board of Berneslai Homes be authorised to vary any of the approved capital schemes subject to a maximum variation on existing budgets of £250,000, with variations above this amount carried out in agreement with the Executive Director Place and the Cabinet Spokesperson for Place.

RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL that the nomination of Councillors Ennis and Makinson to the Berneslai Homes Board for a three year term be approved with immediate effect.

To be Moved by Councillor Miller – Seconded by Councillor Mitchell

This Council notes:

·                     That the Housing and Planning Bill is currently being debated in Parliament, and if passed will threaten the provision of affordable homes for rent and buy through:

o   forcing 'high-value' council homes to be sold on the open market

o   extending the right-to-buy to housing association tenants and

o   undermining section 106 requirements on private developers to provide affordable homes

·                     That there is no commitment in the Bill that affordable homes will be replaced like for like in the local area.

·                     That whilst measures to help (first-time buyers are welcome, the 'starter homes' proposals in the Bill will be unaffordable to families and young people on ordinary incomes in most parts of the country; will not preserve the taxpayer investment; and will be built at the expense of genuinely-affordable homes to rent and buy.

·                     That the Bill undermines localism by taking 32 new wide and open-ended powers for the Secretary over councils and local communities, including the ability to override local plans, to mandate rents for social tenants, and to impose a levy on stock-holding councils, violating the terms of the housing revenue account self-financing deal.

·                     That the Bill, whilst introducing some welcome measures to get to grips with rogue landlords, does not help with the high rents, poor conditions and insecurity affecting many of England's 11m private renters - including one in four families with children - and does nothing to help arrest the recent rise in homelessness.

This Council resolves:

·                     To analyse and report on the likely impact of the forced sale of council homes, the extension of right-to-buy and the 'starter homes' requirement on the local availability of affordable homes

·                     To analyse and report on any further likely impacts of the Bill on the local area

·                     To use this information to:

o   support the Leader of the Council in writing to the Secretary of State with the Council’s concerns about the Bill

o   set up an urgent meeting between the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive with the Local Members of Parliament to raise these concerns

o   make public these concerns, including by publishing the above information on the council's website and promoting through the local press.