Agenda and minutes
Public Speaking: To register your intention to speak at a Council, Cabinet or Committee meeting, please contact Democratic Services on committee@uttlesford.gov.uk or 01799 510410, 510548, 510369 or 510460. Panel, Forum and Working Group meetings do not generally permit public speaking. Please refer to a specific meeting's pdf agenda pack for further information and registration deadlines.
Live Broadcast: For Council, Cabinet and Committee meetings the video player will be available on this page under the Media banner a few minutes before the meeting is due to begin. Please note that Panel, Board, Forum and Working Group meetings are not generally broadcast on the website. We believe that live streaming video of our formal decision making meetings, and publishing the recordings to be watched back later, is good for democracy – and you can find these videos on our website. This video technology sits alongside the longstanding practice of providing seats in the public gallery for members of the public and journalists to turn up and watch our in-person meetings live. Please understand that whilst we will continue to make every reasonable effort to ensure that our key public meetings at which important decisions are live streamed and recorded, any failure in that technology does not in any way invalidate the legitimacy of that meeting or of the decisions taken at it. Even in the event of such occasional technical failures, the public gallery will still have been open, as required by law, and the minutes of the meetings will still be made available in due course.
Zoom and YouTube have their own privacy and data security policies, which can be accessed at www.zoom.us and www.youtube.com.
PDF 142 KBVenue: Committee Room - Council Offices, London Road, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 4ER. View directions
Contact: Democratic Services Email: committee@uttlesford.gov.uk
| No. | Item |
|---|---|
|
Apologies for Absence and Declarations of Interest To receive any apologies for absence and declarations of interest. Minutes: |
|
|
Minutes of the Previous Meeting To consider the minutes of the previous meeting. Minutes: |
|
|
Housing Revenue Account - Proposed Rent, Service and Support Charges 2023/24 To consider the proposed changes to Housing Revenue Account (HRA) dwelling rents, garage rents, support charges and service charges for 2023/24. Additional documents: Minutes:
In response to various questions raised, it was stated that: · An increase of 0.1% in garage rents amounted to the equivalent of 12p per week. · It had been estimated that each 1% reduction in rent income could mean the loss of about 129 new homes over the life of the Business Plan. · If rents were raised at levels below recommended it would impact on the ability over a longer period to deliver new homes and could impact on planned maintenance programmes. · A Stock Condition Survey had been commissioned at a cost around £500,000 and that UDC would be looking to recover the cost from Uttlesford Norse. Without up to date stock condition data, it would not be possible to put an accurate planned work programme together.
The Interim Director of Housing, Health and Communities then took Members through the financial impact of dwelling rent increases; garage rents; service charges; Housing Related Support charges and Intensive Housing Management charges; heating, general services, water and sewerage charges; Garden Welfare. She also highlighted the Risk Analysis and the Equality and Health Impact Assessment.
Carole Mandy (Chair of the Tenant and Leaseholder Panel) reported back on their meeting held on 17 January 2023. She said that support had been given to the report but that it had not been unanimous. She highlighted additional pressures in terms of rent arrears’ management, foodbanks and the large increases in sheltered housing charges.
The Housing Strategy and Operations Manager outlined the support that could be provided by UDC in respect of rent arrears management, advice on income maximisation, housing benefits advice and possible access to discretionary housing payments. We have a tenancy sustainment officer who can work with tenants and we also refer people to CAB and other advice agencies .She stated that eviction was always the last resort and we always did all that we could to avoid this.. She also explained that the sheltered housing heating charges had to be increased to recognise the significant increases in energy costs..
The Chair said that all Councillors had been given the opportunity on previous occasions to look at the Council’s budget figures and said that this overall difficult situation had been caused by the National Government.
In response to further questions, it was stated that: · The vote at the Tenant and Leaseholder Panel had been 5 in support and 2 against. · There was a clear need for the Council to promote support that was available to help the most vulnerable and to protect those in most need. · The proposed redevelopment of sheltered accommodation units at Alexia House and Parkside would need to be delayed until 2024/25 at the earliest but that the Walden Place redevelopment could continue as planned.
The Chair said ... view the full minutes text for item 3. |
|
|
AOB Minutes: In response to a question about possible immediate usage of Alexia House for purposes other than for sheltered housing, the Housing Strategy and Operations Manager confirmed that this had been explored previously, but due to the significant works required to make the building habitable, this was not a viable option.
As this was likely to be the last Housing Board meeting before the local elections, Members thanked Housing officers, the representatives of the Tenant and Leaseholder Panel and Democratic Services officers for all their contributions to the Board.
The meeting finished at 12.20 pm .
|