Neighbourhood Services Committee - 25/10/2021

At a MEETING of the NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE held remotely on 25th October, 2021.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Anne RENDALL, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 27th September, 2021 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 277-2021 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services setting out the proposed rent and other housing charges for the financial year 2022/2023 and seeking approval to consult with tenants on these proposals.

The Convener, seconded by Bailie Roberts, moved that the Committee:-

(i) approve that the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services consults with tenants for a two-month period on the proposed options for the rent increase for 2022/2023 as outlined in the report;

(ii) note the Provisional Revenue Budgets for 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 detailed in Appendix 1 and the indicative rent increases for each of these years outlined in paragraph 9.3 of the report;

(iii) note the proposed other housing charges included in Appendix 2 to this report would become effective from 4th April, 2022; 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 2022/2023 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Revenue Budget and rent and other housing charges.

As an amendment, Bailie Keenan, seconded by Councillor Richardson, moved that the Committee approve the recommendations contained within the report, and that the Committee also agree that:-

(i) Officers be instructed to initiate a lean service review in order to reduce the number of voids from the current and forecast levels, thus making homes available more quickly to tenants and reducing the numbers on the current waiting lists, with the aim of achieving pre COVID or better void levels;

(ii) Officers be instructed to report on progress every three months until the final report on the review is brought to Committee for approval; and

(iii) all savings generated by the review would be ringfenced for spending on energy saving and climate change measures for the benefit of Council tenants.

On a division, there voted for the motion - the Convener, Lord Provost Borthwick, Depute Lord Provost Campbell, Bailies Roberts, Sawers and Macpherson, and Councillors Alexander, Cordell, Dawson, Flynn, Hunter, Rome, Short, Smith, Duncan, Murray and Ross (17); and for the amendment - Bailies Keenan, Wright and Scott and Councillors McCready, McIrvine, Malone, Marra, Richardson, Hay and Scott (10) - whereupon the motion was declared carried.

III SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT NATURE RESTORATION FUND 2021/2022

There was submitted Report No 285-2021 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services seeking approval for Scottish Government Nature Restoration Fund Projects.

The Committee agreed to approve the undernoted projects:-

IV CONTRACT FOR THE TREATMENT OF PAPER AND CARD

There was submitted Report No 284-2021 by the Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services seeking approval for the contract for the treatment of paper and card from December, 2021.

The Committee agreed that the contract be awarded to Smurfit Kappa Recycling UK.

Anne RENDALL, Convener.