Latest News

Housing Revenue Account

Published: 14/01/2016

Flintshire Council’s Cabinet will consider the draft Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2016/17 at a meeting on Tuesday, 19 January. The draft budget recommends a rent increase of 1.4% (plus up to or minus £2) with target rents applied for new tenancies, and with the introduction of service charges for communal area cleaning, digital services and aerial maintenance for existing tenancies. The draft budget also provides for continued investment in the housing stock to meet Wales Housing Quality Standards (WHQS) and to start a new build housing programme. Cllr. Aaron Shotton, Leader of the Council said, “I am delighted that the HRA budget for 2016/17 which we will be recommending to County Council for approval in February will see the largest investment in one year ever seen in Flintshire on improving tenants homes at £21m, plus an initial investment of over £4m to start a council house building programme.” Cllr. Helen Brown, Cabinet Member for Housing said, “The HRA has to have both short and long term financial planning in place. The shorter-term planning shows how the WHQS standard will be achieved, Choices document promises kept, and 200 new council homes built. “The longer term plan shows a viable account with surplus income over expenditure needs. This presents the Council with more opportunities to improve service delivery; provides reassurance that, once achieved, WHQS can be maintained, and could provide further capital funding for new council homes.”