Neighbourhood Services Committee - 28/10/2019

At a MEETING of the NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 28th October, 2019.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Anne RENDALL, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 30th September, 2019 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

II REVIEW OF RENTS AND OTHER HOUSING CHARGES

There was submitted Report No 364-2019 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services setting out the proposed rent and other housing charges for the financial year 2020/2021 and seeking approval to consult with tenants on these proposals.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) approve that the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services consult with tenants for a two month period on the proposed options for the rent increase for 2020/2021 as outlined in the report;

(ii) note the Provisional Revenue Budget for 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report and the indicative rent increases for each of these years as outlined in paragraph 7.3 of the report;

(iii) note the proposed other housing charges included in Appendix 2 to the report including the proposed permanent removal of the current shower charges with effect from 6th April, 2020; and

(iv) agree that only the rent options which had been the subject of consultation with tenants over the two month period be used to set the 2020/2021 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Revenue Budget and rent and other housing charges.

III REGULATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING IN SCOTLAND - ANNUAL ASSURANCE STATEMENT

There was submitted Report No 324-2019 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services advising of the new Regulatory Framework for Social Housing in Scotland and the requirement to prepare an Annual Assurance Statement.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) note the requirements of the Scottish Housing Regulators Framework for the regulation of Social Housing in Scotland;

(ii) note the range of existing opportunities for tenants and elected members to scrutinise the operation and performance of the Council in relation to its duties as a social landlord; and

(iii) approve the Annual Statement detailed at Appendix 1 to the report and authorise its submission to the Scottish Housing Regulator and publication on the Councils web-site.

Anne RENDALL, Convener.