Item 9-Appendix 4
West Dunbartonshire Council · 5 March 2025
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 5 March 2025 and its agenda
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Housing Revenue Estimates - 2025/2026 APPENDIX 4 2023/24 Outturn £000 2024/25 Forecast £000 2024/25 Estimate £000 2025/26 Estimate £000 Movement in Estimate £000 Comments on Movement in Estimate >£50,000 Expenditure Employee Costs 8,037 7,467 7,661 7,855 194 Pay inflation ( 3.2% pay award estimated for 25/26 ) Increased employer national insurance contribution. Property Costs 2,518 2,582 2,600 2,489 (111) Reduced electricity prices following steep increases over the past 2 years Transport Costs 153 158 148 153 5 Supplies, Services and Admin 408 437 406 418 12 Support Services 2,766 2,633 2,788 2,584 (204) Reduced central support allocation charge following a review during 2025/26. Other Expenditure 801 568 330 420 90 Increase in the abatement budget to reflect current need. Repairs & Maintenance 15,063 12,394 15,208 13,081 (2,127) Increased transfer of qualifying expenditure to the HRA capital account. Reduction in the Electrical Installation Condition Report budget reflecting a reduced volume of work as more properties achieve compliance. Bad Debt Provision 1,094 1,002 876 1,119 243 Increased bad debt provison to reflect the planned rent increase and to provide for challenges rceovering rechargeable repair debt. Void Loss (Lost rents / Council tax payments ) 1,518 1,338 1,109 831 (278) Reduced budgets to reflect improved void performance, lower void numbers and fewer long term voids. Loan Charges 19,422 26,041 22,092 29,155 7,063 Large increase in borrowing costs due to high interest rates and increased HRA capital debt. Interest rates / debt financing costs are expected to reduce over the medium term. Total Expenditure 51,780 54,620 53,218 58,105 4,887
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Housing Revenue Estimates - 2025/2026 APPENDIX 4 2023/24 Outturn £000 2024/25 Forecast £000 2024/25 Estimate £000 2025/26 Estimate £000 Movement in Estimate £000 Comments on Movement in Estimate >£50,000 Income House Rents (47,954) (51,144) (51,049) (55,964) (4,915) 8.0% rent increase plus additional income from new build properties and recent property buybacks. Lockup Rents (211) (217) (215) (232) (17) 8.0% rent increase Factoring/Insurance Charges (1,499) (1,555) (1,555) (1,588) (33) Annual fee increase applied Other rents (121) (116) (130) (137) (7) 8.0% rent increase Interest on Revenue Balance (199) (146) (146) (100) 46 Reduced interest earned on cash balances as HRA reserves are fully used. Miscellaneous Income (130) (124) (123) (123) - Total Income (50,114) (53,302) (53,218) (58,144) (4,926) Net Expenditure 1,666 1,318 - (39) (39) Transfer to / from HRA Reserves (1,666) (968) - 39 39 Small surplus transferred to HRA reserves Transfer to / from Gen Fund Reserves - (350) - - -