The Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday 28 January 2026 to discuss the proposed Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2026/27, which includes plans for rent and service charge increases. The committee will also receive updates on commercial and investment property management, planning performance and enforcement, and review the committee's own scrutiny work.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget 2026/27

A key item on the agenda is the proposed Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2026/27. This report outlines proposals for tenant rents and service charges, as well as the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and Capital Programme for the HRA over the next ten years. It is proposed that HRA dwelling rents will increase by 4.8%, which is the maximum allowable increase under the Regulator of Social Housing's (RSH) Rent Standard. This equates to an average weekly increase of £6.41, taking the average rent from £130.73 to £137.14 per week from 8 April 2026.

The report also details proposed increases to tenant service charges, garage rents, travellers' site charges, and sheltered accommodation rents and service charges, all generally in line with the 4.8% increase. For temporary accommodation, a 14% increase above Local Housing Allowance (LHA) levels is proposed. The report includes an Equality Impact Assessment¹ which notes that while rent increases will affect all tenants, those receiving housing benefit or Universal Credit will not see a direct adverse impact. However, it highlights that ethnic minority households are more likely to be in low-income households and may therefore be disproportionately impacted by rent and service charge increases. The report also details the HRA Capital Programme for the next ten years, totalling £409.997 million, with £165.856 million funded from borrowing.

Commercial and Investment Property Update

The committee will receive an update on the management of the council's commercial non-operational properties. Following a restructure of the Commercial, Investment & Strategic Property team in 2025, the report details current and proposed activities aimed at improving property management and increasing rental income. The council aims to increase total rental income by £1 million by the end of 2026/27, from £4.7 million in 2025/26 to £5.7 million. The report notes that since March 2025, the use of external marketing agents for vacant units has resulted in higher rents and reduced void periods. The report also covers strategies for dealing with squatters and the use of meanwhile uses for vacant properties to keep them secure and benefit community groups.

Planning Performance and Enforcement

This report provides an overview of the council's planning performance, including the timeliness of decisions, appeal outcomes, and measures being taken to improve performance and address resourcing issues. The council receives around 3,200 planning applications annually, generating significant income from planning fees and pre-application services. As of January 2026, there is a pipeline of 9,245 new homes to be delivered, with 32% designated as affordable. The report indicates that the council is performing well against national targets for the speed of decision-making for both major and minor applications. It also details the performance of the Planning Enforcement service, which transferred to the Place Directorate in July 2024. Since the transfer, the service has seen improvements in quality, efficiency, and a reduction in open cases.

The Scrutiny Report

This item invites the committee to review the Forward Plan for the remainder of the municipal year. The Forward Plan outlines the committee's work programme, including statutory reports, major decisions, and policy areas of interest. The committee will also review and comment on the Action Tracker, which captures all actions required of officers from previous meetings, and the Recommendation Tracker, which records the committee's conclusions on how services should change or improve. The report also lists key decisions falling under the committee's remit that are scheduled to be taken by Cabinet in the upcoming period.