Present at the meeting:
- Councillor P R C Smith (Executive Leader) (In the Chair).
- Councillor D T Molyneux (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration)
- Councillor K Anderson (Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood)
- Councillor G M Bretherton (Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Equality and Young People)
- Councillor K Cunliffe (Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Healthier Communities and Older People)
- Councillor Mrs S Loudon (Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People)
- Councillor P Prescott (Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Lifestyle)
- Councillor C Ready (Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Improvement)
- Councillor F B Walker (Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Efficiency)
- Councillor R Clayton (Vice Chairman)
- Councillor Mrs P Cullen
- Councillor G W Fairhurst
- Councillor Ms P L Holland
- Councillor M Klieve
- Councillor Mrs J M Peet
- Councillor W Rotherham
- Councillor Mrs A Turnock
- Councillor G Wilkes
1 Apologies for Absence: Councillors J B Baldwin (Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Culture), J D O’Brien (Chairman of the Economy, Environment, Culture and Housing Scrutiny Committee), J S Birch, R M Bleakley, Mrs B Bourne, J Haley and J Miller.
2 Minutes: The minutes of the joint meeting held on 23 February 2009 were approved as a correct record.
3 Whipping declarations: Government guidance expected Members of the Scrutiny Committee not to act in accordance with party whipping and that, if they did, they were to declare it.
There were no declarations made.
Item subject to confirmation by the Council:
4 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) - Rent Setting 2010/11: The meeting considered a joint report of the Executive Directors of Business Support Services and Environmental Services and the Chief Executive of Wigan and Leigh Housing, presented by David Smith and Ashley Crumbley on a proposal for rents and minor charges for 2010/11 for local authority dwellings. The report also recommended an extension to the period for which voluntary principal repayments of HRA debt were suspended. Officers advised the meeting that any decision in respect of Council house rents must be taken at the Council meeting on 6 January 2010 because of the need to serve notice on tenants.
The Chief Executive of Wigan and Leigh Homes referred to an earlier meeting with the Tenant Board Members and he submitted their views thereon on this year’s draft determination which included dismay at the further reduction in Government Subsidy and the tenants’wish that the boiler replacement programme be accelerated.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was to follow Government Guidance on setting rents.
Members asked a number of questions and commented on the various aspects of the report and reference was made in particular to the current level of HRA debt being approximately £217m. The Executive Director of Business Support Services gave members an assurance that the level of debt was not excessive and that the policy of not setting aside a sum to repay debt was reviewed each year according to government guidelines relating to how the subsidy was applied. The debt could also be serviced via the rental stream and the support received by the Housing Revenue Account from the benefits system. The Leader reminded members that the debt was around £9,000 a dwelling, the market value of the properties was well in excess of that.
A Member also referred to the level of benefit for those persons living alone on low income and with no children. The Executive Director of Business Support Services suggested that the Member may wish to speak to him about specific cases and the Chief Executive of Wigan and Leigh Housing explained the benefit advice being given to tenants by his staff.
The Member also referred to the changes to the period in which gas fires were serviced within Council properties and the Chief Executive of Wigan and Leigh Housing explained that the period for the servicing of gas fires would in the main be every 12 months. However, Wigan and Leigh Housing were looking at options for resolving problematic cases, this might include more frequent servicing, in the interests of safety.
Resolved: After taking account of the views of the Tenant Board Members and comments now submitted by the Economy, Environment, Culture and Housing Scrutiny Committee, the Cabinet recommends, subject to the Government’s final determination, that the Council agrees to:-
- a 2.5% increase for dwelling rents for 2010/11;
- the services charges (with the exception of sheltered accommodation) remaining at the 2009/10 level;
- the service changes in respect of the sheltered accommodation being deferred until a later meeting;
- the garage rents being increase by the same percentage as dwelling rents for 2010/11; and
- extend the suspension of debt repayment to cover 2010/11 and 2011/12.
(Councillor Ms P L Holland declared personal and non-prejudicial interest in this item because she is related to the Chairman of Wigan Homes’ Board).
