The Holborn District Management Committee meeting on 8 January 2025 considered the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget for 2025/26. The Committee voted to reject the proposed rent increase of 2.7%, and rejected proposals to increase service charges for Caretaking, CCTV, and Grounds Maintenance. The Committee voted to support the proposed increases in charges for Communal Mechanical and Electrical Maintenance and the Responsive Housing Patrol. They also voted to support the proposed freeze in the Communal Lighting service charge, and the proposed reduction in Heating Pool charges.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget 2025/26

The Committee considered a report on the proposed HRA Budget 2025/26 for 2025/26. The meeting began with a presentation by officers. Much of the discussion focussed on the poor quality of repairs and maintenance, with several committee members describing their experiences.

There was discussion about how the lack [of] preventative maintenance and prompt repairs led to increased cost in the longer term, while financially and emotionally affecting residents.

The officer's report described the range of pressures on the budget, including inflation, the cost of meeting new regulatory requirements, and the costs of the Better Homes programme.

The Better Homes programme was established in 2013/14 and since then has delivered £629m in investment in our Council homes at an average of £57m per annum. This covers internal works (e.g., kitchens and bathrooms), external works (e.g., roofs and windows), mechanical and electrical works (e.g., communal heating and lifts) and fire safety works.

The report also set out proposed savings to be made to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), including an increase in the charges levied on leaseholders.

Increase of the MTFS savings target for leaseholders by £0.3m. This reflects mainly budget adjustments that can be made to align the budgets with estimates/actuals being billed as the cost base has been rising over time but also work being done to ensure all rechargeable costs are being passed on.

The Committee voted on a series of proposals from officers, choosing to reject the proposed rent increase and several proposed increases in service charges.

RESOLVED – (i) THAT the proposed rent increase not be supported; (ii) THAT the proposed increase of tenant services charge – caretaking not be supported; (iii) THAT the proposed increase of tenant service charge – CCTV not be supported; (iv) THAT the proposed freeze of tenant service charge – communal lighting be supported; (v) THAT the proposed increase of tenant service charge – communal M&E maintenance be supported; (vi) THAT the proposed increase of tenant service charge – grounds maintenance not be supported; (vii) THAT the proposed increase of tenant service charge – Responsive Housing Patrol be supported; (viii) THAT the proposed reduction in heating pool charges be supported;

The Committee also discussed the recently published report from the Housing Ombudsman for England, which found that Camden Council had failed to meet its legal obligations in respect of its handling of complaints.

Residents highlighted the Housing Ombudsman’s report on the Council’s complaint handling and a Bourne Estate TRA representative and commented on the TRA’s negative experience with complaints handling.

The Committee also discussed a proposal from officers to review the services provided to leaseholders, in order to find savings.

In response to queries about what was meant by the Council reviewing its services to leaseholders, officers explained that working group was reviewing the approach to recouping costs that should be recharged to leaseholders.

The Committee also discussed the case of Medway Court, which had been without a caretaker for several months.

It was noted that Medway Court had been without a caretaker for several months and no replacement had been identified.