Agenda item

With reference to Article 8 of the minute of meeting of the Finance, Policy and Resources Committee of 4 December 2014, the Council had before it a joint report by the Acting Director of Corporate Governance and the Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure which provided members with information to allow the setting of the rent level for the financial year 2015/16 as well as provisional rent levels for the financial years 2016/17 to 2019/20, explaining that this would allow a capital programme for 2015/16 to be set as well as a provisional programme for 2016/17 to 2019/20.

The report recommended:-

that the Finance, Policy and Resources Committee consider the draft HRA Budget and refer it to Council on 17 December 2014 to -

(a)          approve the budget as at appendix 1 to the report;

(b)          approve the weekly unrebated rents for municipal houses, as detailed at appendix 1 to the report, to take effect from Monday 6 April 2015;

(c)          approve the level of revenue contribution to the Housing Capital budget for 2015/16 as well as provisional contribution for the subsequent four financial years as detailed at appendix 1 to the report;

(d)          continue to increase the level of working balances to 10% to meet future contingencies;

(e)          agree the continuation of the practice that all capital receipts, from the disposal of Council houses under right to buy, continue to be used to repay debt for 2015/16 and future years;

(f)           approve the level of miscellaneous rents and service charges, including Heat with Rent as detailed in appendix 1 to the report;

(g)          set a capital programme for the financial year 2015/16 based on the rent strategy adopted as well as the indicative level of programme for the financial years 2016/17 to 2019/20;

(h)          in order for work to commence on the capital programme, approve as estimated expenditure, in terms of Standing Order 1(3) of the Council’s Standing Orders relating to Contracts and Procurement, the sums shown against each heading of the Housing Capital Expenditure budget set out in appendix 1 to the report; and

(i)            authorise the Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure to undertake or instruct appropriate procedures to procure the works referred to in appendix 1 for the capital programme and award contracts thereto.

The Finance, Policy and Resources Committee had referred the report simpliciter to Council.

Councillor Cooney moved, seconded by Councillor Jean Morrison:-

That the Council approve the recommendations contained within the report subject to clarifying that the Environmental Improvements budget for 2015/16 would remain at £1.2million, and that the housing repairs draft budget was for 2015/16 to 2019/20 not 2014/15 to 2018/19.

Councillor Delaney moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Malone:-

That the Council -

(1)          allocate £1.2million at item 17, Environmental Improvements, of the housing repairs budget on page 12 of the report;

(2)          approve the weekly unrebated rents for municipal houses, as detailed in appendix 1 of the report, to take effect from Monday 6 April 2015;

(3)          approve £20.331million by way of revenue contribution to the Housing Capital budget for 2015/16, as well as a provisional contribution for the subsequent four financial years adjusted to maintain an additional spend of £360,000 per annum on environmental improvements from 2014/15 expenditure, uplifted to take account of increasing costs;

(4)          otherwise approve the budget as contained within appendix 1 to the report;

(5)          continue to increase the level of working balances to 10% to meet future contingencies;

(6)          agree the continuation of the practice that all capital receipts, from the disposal of Council houses under right to buy, continue to be used to repay debt for 2015/16 and future years;

(7)          approve the level of miscellaneous rents and service charges, including Heat with Rent as detailed in appendix 1 to the report;

(8)          set a capital programme for the financial year 2015/16 based on the rent strategy adopted as well as the indicative level of programme for the financial years 2016/17 to 2019/20;

(9)          in order for work to commence on the capital programme, approve as estimated expenditure, in terms of Standing Order 1(3) of the Council’s Standing Orders relating to Contracts and Procurement, the sums shown against each heading of the Housing Capital Expenditure budget set out in appendix 1 to the report;

(10)       authorise the Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure to undertake or instruct appropriate procedures to procure the works referred to in appendix 1 for the capital programme and award contracts relating thereto;

(11)       instruct officers to bring forward a report to the appropriate committee outlining the next phase of the Combined Heat and Power initiative to include additional homes and public buildings across the city in order to contribute towards the reduction of fuel poverty, reduce our carbon footprint and minimise fuel costs faced by the Council in respect of public buildings; and

(12)       instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Scottish and UK Governments requesting that they agree a protocol which would enable the Housing element of Universal Credit to be paid directly to providers of social housing by agreement with the tenant, in tandem with the introduction of Universal Credit in Scotland and in advance of the transfer of additional powers arising from the Smith Commission proposals.

Councillor Dickson proposed as an addendum:- that the Council instruct officers to submit a report to the Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee on spending uncommitted funds from the second home and empty property fund.  Councillor Cooney agreed to incorporate this into his motion, and this was accepted.

During the course of summing up, Councillor Delaney agreed to incorporate Councillor Dickson’s addendum into his amendment, and this was accepted; and Councillor Cooney agreed to incorporate part (11) of Councillor Delaney’s amendment into his motion, and this was also accepted.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (36)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Blackman, Boulton, Cameron, Carle, Cooney, Corall, Crockett, Dickson, Donnelly, Jackie Dunbar, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Forsyth, Graham, Grant, Ironside, Jaffrey, Kiddie, Laing, Lawrence, MacGregor, McCaig, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison, Nathan Morrison, Noble, Samarai, Sandy Stuart, Taylor, Thomson, Townson and Young.

For the amendment  (4)  -  Councillors Delaney, Greig, Malone and Yuill.

The Council resolved:-

(i)         to adopt the motion; and

(ii)        to thank the relevant staff for their hard work, and the members of the former Housing and Environment Committee and the Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee for their input.