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Housing Revenue Account

Published: 13/01/2017

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet will consider the draft Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2017/18 at a meeting on Tuesday, 17 January. The HRA funds the landlord function of the council for 7,189 homes. This covers the repair and maintenance of homes, stock improvement and environmental improvements, neighbourhood management including resolving anti-social behaviour and estate caretaking, income collection and customer involvement. This report details the positive progress which has been made by the Council on financial performance, ensuring that the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) targets are met, honouring the commitments set out in the Choices Document* and continuing with the Council’s ambitious programme of building new council homes and affordable housing is on track and ahead of schedule. The draft budget recommends a rent increase of 2.5% (plus up to or minus £2) with target rents applied for new tenancies. Garage rents will increase by £1 per week. The Leader of the Council, Councillor Aaron Shotton, said: “I am delighted that the proposed HRA budget for 2017/18, will continue our investment in improving tenants’ homes. A £20m investment programme plus a commitment of almost £8m to continue building new council houses.” Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Helen Brown, said: “The HRA shows how the WHQS standard will be achieved, Choices document promises kept, and new council homes built. We are on track to improve our housing stock as required by 2020 and we are building new council homes. We work together as a strong team and I am very proud of our achievements.” * In 2012, the council balloted its tenants on the option for ‘stock transfer’. This process involved making commitments to tenants on service quality and performance, should tenants opt to stay with the council or move to an alternative landlord. 71% of tenants used their vote, with 88% choosing Flintshire County Council to remain as their landlord.