Agenda item

7.1  Shaun Regan, Finance and Performance Manager introduced the report on the HRA Budget-Setting process, outlining that the report had been written from a financial perspective.

7.2  He explained that the council had a statutory obligation not to set an HRA budget in deficit

7.3  As a result of the process set out in the paper, the cabinet agrees rents and charges and the council must give residents 28 days notice of changes.

7.4  The Finance and Performance Manager explained that the figures are largely pre-determined by Government through the calculation of the rents increase figure and the subsidy. In addition there is a sum for Thames Water charges, meaning that up to 75% of HRA income is determind by external factors.

7.5  It was explained to the sub-committee that for 2011, the process of agreeing the HRA has changed to facilitate greater transparency with the formal consultation taking place with the Tenants Council, Area Housing Forums and the Homeowners Council during January.

7.6  In addition to the formal consultation a Savings Panel has been established and is considering the HRA in terms of service provision and priorities, including members from both the Homeowners Council and Tenants Council.

7.7  The sub-committee discussed what intervention they could make which would be helpful in enhancing the HRA process.

7.8  Lesley Wertheimer informed the sub-committee of the work already underway through the Tenants Council looking into 2 issues

-  Total Recovery Cost

-  Double-Charging

7.9  It was agreed to request a report from the Savings Panel for the meeting of the sub-committee on 4 April.