Decision details

That Cabinet recommend to Council at its meeting on 11 February 2025:

a)        the HRA budget for 2025/26, as set out in Appendix A to the report;

b)        an increase of 2.7% in the 2025/26 rents of all current HRA tenancies will be applied from 7 April 2025;

c)        the 2025/26 service charges, as set out in Appendix C to the report; and

the Capital Budget set out in Appendix D to the report are committed expenditure in the Capital Programme for 2025/26 to 2028/29.

Reason for Decisions:

To advise Members of the proposed HRA budget and charges in rent and service charge levels for 2025/26 and for these to be recommended to Council at its meeting on 11 February 2025.

Options Considered:

Various modelling was undertaken to assess the impact of different rent levels on the viability of the HRA 30-year business plan to arrive at the recommendation above.

Consideration was also given to varying increases between general needs and supported (sheltered and extra care) accommodation but no rationale was found to support this, alongside the equitable nature of any decision to do so.