MINUTE of SPECIAL MEETING of the HOUSING COMMITTEE held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Tuesday 12 February 2002 at 3.00 pm.
Present: Councillors FRANK ELLIS, ALISTAIR GRAY, IAN ANGUS, BILL CROWE, GLENNIS MIDDLETON, JOY MOWATT, GEORGE NORRIE MBE, BILL ROBERTON and SHEENA WELSH.
Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors DAVID LUMGAIR, ROBERT MYLES, STEWART McGLYNN and PETER NIELD.
Councillor ELLIS, Convener, in the Chair.
1. REVIEW OF CHARGES FOR 2002/2003
There was submitted Joint Report No 205/02 by the Director of Housing and the Director of Finance regarding the charges imposed by the Housing Department in respect of garage site rentals, sheltered housing heating, pitches at the St Christopher Site, Tayock for Travelling People and homelessness accommodation rents for 2002/2003.
The Committee agreed:-
- to the increased charges for garage site rentals, pitches at the St Christopher Site at Tayock and homelessness accommodation, as recommended in the Report; and
- that the heating charges remain unaltered, as outlined in the Report.
Councillors Gray, Middleton and Roberton declared an interest in the following item.
2. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT ESTIMATES 2002/2003 AND RENT LEVELS
There was submitted Joint Report No 206/02 by the Director of Finance and the Director of Housing setting out (a) the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) estimates for 2002/2003 and (b) options for the Committee on determining rent levels for 2002/2003.
The Committee agreed:
- to approve an average rent increase of £1.63 per week or 5%; and
- to increase CFCR to a total of £4.660m, allowing a capital spend of £7.046m in 2002/2003 and provide for a revenue balance of £0.500m.
3. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT 2002/2003 PROPOSED APPLICATION OF RENT INCREASES
With reference to Article 2 above, there was submitted Joint Report No 207/02 by the Director of Housing and the Director of Finance recommending how the approved rental increase could be applied to the Council's Housing Revenue Account Stock and setting out detailed proposals regarding increases in rent for Housing Revenue Account garages.
The Committee agreed:-
- that the rental income requirement, as detailed in Report No 206/02 for the houses on the Housing Revenue Account for 2002/2003, be met by the application of increases as detailed in the Report and the appendices to the Report; and
- that all garage rents currently at £138.00 be increased to £149.50 per annum for 2002/2003.
4. PROVISIONAL CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2002/03
With reference to Article 2 above, there was submitted Report No 208/02 by the Director of Finance, setting out the Provisional Capital Programme based on the assumptions outlined in the Report. The Programme indicated spend on a phased basis of some £7.046m in year 2002/2003.
Councillor Gray, seconded by Councillor Mowatt, moved that:-
"this Committee
- is appalled at the Scottish Executive's continuing insistence that 75% of all Right to Buy sale proceeds be used to repay housing loan charges, which denies Angus Council tenants and tenants across Scotland much needed improvements to their homes and therefore restricts Angus Council's programme to provide its tenants with the high quality standard of housing they deserve;
-
calls on the Scottish Executive to:-
(a) withdraw the compulsory set aside rules whereby 75% of the proceeds of all Right to Buy sales is set aside for loan repayment; and
(b) allow local authorities the right to exercise their choice on what is appropriate for their individual housing strategy and housing loan management strategy; and
- instructs the Chief Executive to write to the First Minister in these terms."
The Committee agreed:-
- to approve the Provisional Programme appended to Report No 208/02;
- to note that, once the actual Section 94 consent was known, a further Report would be submitted to the Committee identifying any amendments which might need to be made to the Programme; and
- to approve the motion in the above terms.
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