Decision

That Cabinet agrees:
           

To approve the
Housing Revenue Account 2025/26 budget for council homes as set out
in Table 1.

 

To approve the HRA
10-year Business Plan for Council Homes (2025/26 – 2034/35)
as set out in paragraphs 3 - 4 of this report and Appendices 1 -
5.

 

To approve a rent increase of 2.7%
from 7 April 2025 (in line with September 2024 CPI+1%), which
equates to an average weekly increase for tenants of £3.65 in
2025/26.

 

To approve an
increase to shared ownership rents of 2.7% from 1 April 2025 (in
line with September 2024 CPI+1%).

 

To approve changes to
tenant service charges to reflect the costs of providing communal
services from 7 April 2025, which equate to an average weekly
reduction for tenants of £1.32 in 2025/26.

 

To approve a
reduction to charges for heating and hot water to reflect the costs
of provision of the district heating service from 1 April 2025,
which equate to an average weekly reduction for tenants and
leaseholders on the scheme of £0.45 (communal heating),
£1.99 (tenants’ personal heating) and £3.80
(leaseholders’ personal heating) in 2025/26.

 

To approve an
increase to the management fee for temporary on licence properties
of 1.7% (in line with September 2024 CPI) from 7 April 2025.

 

To approve an
increase to the rent and service charges for hostels of 2.7% from 7
April 2025 (in line with September 2024 CPI+1%).

 

To increase garage
charges for council tenants, resident leaseholders, and for other
customers from 7 April 2025 by 1.7% (in line with September 2024
CPI).

 

To note that any
change to parking charges on housing estates were considered
separately with the Council’s parking plans at Cabinet in
January 2025.

 

To increase car space
rental charges for all customers by 1.7% from April
2025 (in line with September 2024
CPI).

 

To approve an
increase in the Leasehold After Sale – Home Buy fees by 1.7%
from April 2025 from £232 to £237 (in line with
September 2024 CPI).

 

To approve an
increase in the Leasehold Property Alterations fees by 1.7% from
April 2025.