Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Asset position (01:12:43)
To receive a verbal update and presentation from the Group Manager for Building Services on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) asset position.
Minutes:
The Group Manager for Building Services provided the Group with a presentation on the asset position of the Housing Revenue Account.
Discussion took place with regard to:
· The pressure on the HRA of Right to Buy and the inflexible nature of the Government’s stance on this issue.
· On average there were 25 RTB’s per year.
· The Council’s responsibility to provide social housing.
· The lack of financial incentive to build properties.
· In order to maintain the housing stock it was vital that the Council collected all the rent that was due to it.
· Replacement kitchens and bathrooms would need to be prioritised.
· It was a priority of the Housing Department to reduce the numbers on the housing waiting list wherever it could. This was managed through Devon Home Choice system which categorised tenants in terms of their housing need.
The Group requested that they receive information with regard to Council owned garages; how many were fit to be let and how many were in a state of disrepair for example? Also, how many garages were let to charities at a reduced rate? It was explained that information could be provided as long as it was of a general nature and did not relate to specific lets.