Minute of Meeting of Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee of 22 January 2025 for Approval
Perth and Kinross Council · 26 March 2025
Back to Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee — 26 March 2025 and its agenda
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HOUSING AND SOCIAL WELLBEING COMMITTEE Minute of hybrid meeting of the Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee held in the Council Chambers, 2 High Street, Perth, on 22 January 2025 at 9.30am. Present: Bailies R Brock, C McLaren and M Williamson; Councillors P Barrett, B Brawn, A Forbes, D Illingworth (substituting for Bailie Ahern), I James, I Macpherson, C Mair, S McCole, T McEwan, F Smith, C Stewart and J Welch. In Attendance: C Mailer, Depute Chief Executive; E Ritchie, Strategic Lead – Housing and Communities, A Singh, Strategic Lead – Children, Families and Justice, N Rogerson and E Lindsay (both Children, Families and Justice) (up to Item 7); N Lennon, J McColl, J Kent (all Housing and Communities); S Coyle (Finance and Business Support), S Hendry, J Guild, S Dockerill, R Ramsay and M Pasternak (all Legal and Governance). Also in Attendance: E Mackie (Tayside MAPPA) (up to Item 7), L Palmer (Tenant Representative). Apologies: Bailie C Ahern. Councillor T McEwan, Convener, Presiding. 1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES Councillor T McEwan welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were noted as above. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no Declarations of Interests in terms of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct 3. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING The minute of the meeting of the Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee of 27 November 2024 was submitted and approved as a correct record. 4. OUTSTANDING BUSINESS STATEMENT The Outstanding Business Statement was noted, and it was agreed to remove the completed actions. 5. COMMUNITY JUSTICE PROGRESS REPORT 2023-24 There was submitted a report by Strategic Lead – Children, Families and Justice (25/7) providing (1) an update on the work of council services and partners to meet local and national outcomes for Community Justice for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, (2) an update on the effectiveness of the arrangements for the
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supervision of serious offenders and the approaches being used to help people make positive changes in their lives and tackling the underlying causes. Resolved: (i) The approach being undertaken by Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) teams in respect of the Perth and Kinross Community Justice and Safety Partnership (the Partnership), and the content of the Community Justice Progress Report 2023-24 (Appendix 1), be noted. (ii) The contents of the report, be endorsed. (iii) It be requested the Strategic Lead for Children, Families and Justice brings forward an annual report regarding the activity and performance. 6. TAYSIDE MAPPA ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24 There was submitted a report by Strategic Lead – Children, Families and Justice (25/8) introducing the Tayside Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Annual Report for 2023-24. Resolved: (i) Assurance be taken about the work being undertaken in respect of the MAPPA in Tayside, and specifically, Perth and Kinross; (ii) The contents of the report, be endorsed. (iii) It be requested that the Strategic Lead for Children, Families and Justice brings forward future Annual Reports to this committee. 7. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) STRATEGIC FINANCIAL PLAN INCORPORATING THE 5 YEAR CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME AND RENT STRATEGY TO 2029/30, RESERVES STRATEGY AND OTHER HOUSING CHARGES FOR 2025/26 There was submitted a joint report by Strategic Lead – Housing and Communities and Strategic Lead – Finance and Business Support (25/9) (1) seeking approval of the proposed Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for five years from 2025/26 to 2029/30, (2) outlining recommended increases to rents for houses and other HRA property service charges, and an appropriate level of reserves, (3) also seeking approval of the proposed budget for the next five years of the Capital Investment Programme, totalling £90.6 million from 2025/26 to 2029/30. Motion by Councillors T McEwan and S McCole (i) The HRA 30-year Business Plan has been updated to reflect and confirm the affordability of the proposals, be noted. (ii) The Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2025/26 and provisional budgets for financial years 2026/27 to 2029/30 as set out in Appendix 1, be approved. (ii) The proposed Housing Revenue Account Capital Investment Programme for 2025/26 to 2029/30 as set out in Appendix 3, be approved. (iii) The Rent Strategy for 2025/26 and a provisional Rent Strategy for the following 4 years to 2029/30 as stated in Section 9, be approved.
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(iv) The rent increase of 6.0% in line with option 1, for the year commencing 7 April 2025 for all Council houses, be approved. This means an average weekly rent increase of £4.78 per week, giving an average weekly rent of £84.52 per week based on 52 weeks. (v) The rent increase of 6.0% for the year commencing 7 April 2025, be approved for: • all lock-ups • all garage sites • dispersed tenancies owned by the HRA • Greyfriars Hostel. (vi) The Housing Revenue Account Reserves Strategy proposed in Section 10, be approved. (vii) The final movement in the Housing Revenue Account in 2024/25 is transferred to an earmarked Reserve (HRA) as proposed in Section 10.10, be approved. (viii) The proposal to set Housing service charges from 7 April 2025 as stated in Section 13, be approved. (ix) Where necessary, the revised level of all housing related charges as detailed in Appendix 5, be endorsed and approved. (x) The progress made to date in delivering and maintaining the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) for improving and managing the housing stock as set out in Section 7 and the related Business Cases, be endorsed. Amendment by Councillors B Brawn and I James To agree to all recommendations as laid out Paragraph 2 of the paper, subject to additional wording to item 2.1 (viii) as below – Approves the proposal to set Housing Service Charges from 7th April 2025 as stated in Section 13. However, recognising the substantial increase in Garden Maintenance Charges by £330.20 and the potential pressure on service user finances, that this increase be spread over two years- £165.10 increase in 2025/26 and £165.10 increase in 2026/27. THERE FOLLOWED A RECESS AND COMMITTEE RECONVENED AT 11:50AM. In terms of Standing Order 21 a roll call vote was taken: 8 Members voted for the Motion as follows: Councillors P Barrett, I MacPherson, C Mair, S McCole, T McEwan, Bailie C McLaren, Councillor J Welch and Bailie M Williamson. 7 Members voted for the Amendment as follows: Councillor B Brawn, Bailie R Brock, Councillors A Forbes, D Illingworth, I James, F Smith and C Stewart. Resolved: In accordance with the Motion.
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8. REVIEW OF COMMON ALLOCATIONS POLICY There was submitted a report by Strategic Lead – Housing and Communities (25/10) providing members with an overview of the recent review of the Common Allocations Policy and a summary of the proposed changes and their impact. Resolved: (i) The content of the report, the rationale for the review, the methodology used and the stakeholders who have been involved, be noted. (ii) The proposed changes to the Common Allocations Policy, including the enhanced ‘downsizing’ offer, and the implementation of the revised Policy from April 2025, be approved. (iii) Three Housing Associations are partners in the design and delivery of the Policy and that they will follow their own, internal approval processes prior to implementation of the Policy in April 2025, be noted. ~~~~~~~~~