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Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Town House. View directions

Contact: Martyn Orchard, tel 01224 067598 or Email: morchard@aberdeencity.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

Housing Revenue Account Budget 2025/26 - CORS/24/356 pdf icon PDF 450 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

With reference to Article 11 of the minute of its meeting of 11 December 2024, the Council heard from Alan Thomson, Interim Chief Officer - Governance (Legal), who sought to offer clarity on some confusion that had arisen at the end of the meeting regarding item 9.4 (Housing Revenue Account Budget 2025/26).

 

Mr Thomson stated, for the avoidance of doubt, that the Member-Officer Relations Protocol and Standing Orders formed part of the Council’s Scheme of Governance. He added that the Partnership had asked a question on the Labour amendment under Standing Order 26.2.1, which he quoted, and this was in relation to the use of reserves and competency. The question had been directed to the Chief Officer – Finance, who responded under Standing Order 29.11, which Mr Thomson also quoted. The Chief Officer - Finance advised that financial advice was given regarding the amendment and confirmed that it was legally competent but financially ill-advised and offered the rationale for this.

 

Mr Thomson explained that the Chief Officer - Finance had a duty to highlight any financial risk to the Council, especially regarding the use of reserves, and that Standing Order 29.9 had also been engaged, which he quoted. To summarise, Mr Thomson stated that there had been no breach of the Member-Officer Relations Protocol and all amendments were fully confidential between officers and elected members until they were made public just before the Council meeting. He added that the correct Standing Orders had been applied throughout and the Chief Officer - Finance had advised the Labour Group in writing the evening before the Council meeting that he would have to share the advice to all members under Standing Order 29.11.

 

Following further questions about process, which officers responded to, the Council was circulated with an advice note from the Chief Officer - Finance under Standing Order 29.11 on the use of reserves.

 

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Finance which provided information to enable the Council to approve a housing revenue and capital budget for 2025/26, including setting of the rents and other charges on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for the financial year.

 

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)           approve the budget as attached in Appendix 1, page 2, of the report;

(b)           approve the setting of the weekly unrebated rents, an increase of 12%, for municipal homes in Appendix 1, page 3 of the report, to take effect from Monday 7 April 2025;

(c)           approve the level of revenue contribution to the Housing Capital budget for 2025/26 as detailed in Appendix 1, pages 22 to 24;

(d)           agree to work towards restoring the working balances to 10% to meet future operational requirements and risks, noting that if the Housing Revenue Account records a deficit and has no reserves then the Council’s General Fund must make a contribution to balance the Account;

(e)           approve the level of miscellaneous rents and service charges, including Heat with Rent and the General Fund Support  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

2.

Announcements

Minutes:

Councillor Malik expressed his thanks to the Chief Executive and all members of staff for their service during the year and wished everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year. He also thanked the Lord Dean for the chocolates she had provided at the meeting.

 

Councillor Boulton noted that a teacher at Culter Primary School had sadly passed away very recently, Jill Roberts. She added that Jill had also been Acting Head at the school for many years and would be greatly missed by the whole community; she was a great friend to many people.

 

The Lord Provost echoed the comments from Councillor Malik and Councillor Boulton and wished everyone well for the festive season.