The Borough Residents' Forum was scheduled to discuss the Housing Revenue Account Budget, including proposed rent increases and other charges for council dwellings, as well as consider a report from the Social Housing Improvement Task and Finish Group. The meeting's agenda also included standard administrative items such as apologies, declarations of interest, and the confirmation of previous minutes.

Housing Revenue Account Budget (including Rents & Other Charges for Council Dwellings)

A significant portion of the meeting was scheduled to be dedicated to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget, as detailed in a report by the Executive Director of Finance. The HRA is a ringfenced account specifically for the management and maintenance of Wandsworth's housing stock. The report outlined proposals for the HRA capital programme, including additions totalling £241.907m, bringing the overall capital programme to £758.227m over the framework period of 2025/26 to 2028/29.

Key proposals included an increase in council housing rents by a maximum of 4.8% from April 2026, alongside general increases in non-residential charges of 3.8%. A reduction in heating and hot water charges was also proposed. The report highlighted the council's strong financial position despite national housing challenges, enabling continued investment in regeneration and existing stock. It also noted the impact of national policies, such as rent caps, on the HRA's income. The report detailed the financing of the capital programme through various sources, including borrowing, capital receipts, grants, and leaseholder contributions. Revenue expenditure pressures were also discussed, particularly concerning repairs and maintenance, with an anticipated £9m overspend forecast for the current financial year. The report also detailed proposed changes to non-dwelling rents and clubroom charges, as well as communal heating and hot water charges, with a 20% reduction proposed for fuel elements. The overall HRA budget framework and reserve positions were presented, indicating a continued viable plan for the council's housing stock management.

Social Housing Improvement Task and Finish Group Report

The meeting was also scheduled to consider the report from the Social Housing Improvement Task and Finish Group. This group was established in response to a C3 grading by the Regulator of Social Housing following an inspection in late 2024. The report detailed the group's work, including their terms of reference, scope of review, and a summary of their meetings.

Key findings and recommendations from the group were scheduled for discussion. These included a recommendation for additional resources to analyse data from stock condition surveys, aiming to better prioritise investment based on resident safety and impact. Improvements to the resident repair journey were also proposed, focusing on reducing appointment windows and introducing a digital tracking element for repairs. The group recommended co-designing repairs and maintenance contract specifications with residents and using resident feedback for robust contract monitoring. They also suggested revising the Borough Residents' Forum constitution to reflect changes in council governance and including tenant and leaseholder representation in governance arrangements for monitoring housing stock improvements. Furthermore, the report proposed commissioning external consultants to review the engagement strategy, encompassing both formal and informal engagement processes. The Tenant Satisfaction Measures were also to be presented annually to the Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and the committee was encouraged to continue scrutinising progress on social housing improvements. The report also touched upon customer care, complaints, and the ongoing investigations by the Housing Ombudsman and Building Safety Regulator.

The meeting was scheduled to take place at The Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, London, SW18 2PU. Further information regarding the agenda and how residents could have their say was available from Rebecca Hickey, the Democratic Services Officer.