Agenda item

5.1

RESOLVED: On the motion of the Lord Mayor (Councillor Magid Magid) and seconded by Councillor Peter Rippon, that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.1, the order of business as published on the Council Summons be altered by taking item 5 on the agenda (Housing Revenue Account Business Plan and Budget 2019/20) as the next item of business.

5.2

It was moved by Councillor Jim Steinke, seconded by Councillor Paul Wood, that the following recommendations made by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 16^th January 2019 in relation to the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan and Budget 2019/20, be approved:-

“RESOLVED: That Cabinet recommends to the meeting of the City Council on 6th February 2019 that:-

(a)       the HRA Business Plan report for 2019/20, as set out in the appendix to the report, is approved;

(b)       the HRA Revenue Budget 2019/20, as set out in the appendix to the report, is approved;

(c)        rents for Council dwellings, including temporary accommodation, are reduced by 1% from April 2019 in line with requirements in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016;

(d)       garage rents for garage plots and garage sites will remain unchanged for 2019/20;

(e)       the community heating standing charge will increase by 20p per week for 2019/20;

(f)        the sheltered housing service charge will remain unchanged for 2019/20;

(g)       burglar alarm charges will remain unchanged for 2019/20; and

(h)       service charges for furnished accommodation will remain unchanged for 2019/20.”

5.3

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Penny Baker, and formally seconded by Councillor Sue Auckland, as an amendment, that the recommendations made by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 16th January, 2019, concerning the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan and HRA Budget 2019/20, be approved with the addition of new paragraphs (i) and (j) as follows:-

(i)         notes that Sheffield City Council holds a number of ‘sundry’ properties within the HRA housing stock which is a stock of non-traditional houses yet to be investigated for use as social housing;

(j)         requests that officers review the existing policy on ‘sundry’ properties, with a view to:-

(i)         surveying the portfolio of sundry properties for their suitability for conversion into social housing; and

(ii)        proposing an investment plan to bring as many of these properties back into use as social housing as soon as possible.

5.4

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

5.5

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That:-

(a)       the HRA Business Plan report for 2019/20, as set out in the appendix to the report, is approved;

(b)       the HRA Revenue Budget 2019/20, as set out in the appendix to the report, is approved;

(c)        rents for Council dwellings, including temporary accommodation, are reduced by 1% from April 2019 in line with requirements in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016;

(d)       garage rents for garage plots and garage sites will remain unchanged for 2019/20;

(e)       the community heating standing charge will increase by 20p per week for 2019/20;

(f)        the sheltered housing service charge will remain unchanged for 2019/20;

(g)       burglar alarm charges will remain unchanged for 2019/20;

(h)       service charges for furnished accommodation will remain unchanged for 2019/20;

(i)         it be noted that Sheffield City Council holds a number of ‘sundry’ properties within the HRA housing stock which is a stock of non-traditional houses yet to be investigated for use as social housing; and

(j)         officers be requested to review the existing policy on ‘sundry’ properties, with a view to:-

(i)         surveying the portfolio of sundry properties for their suitability for conversion into social housing; and

(ii)        proposing an investment plan to bring as many of these properties back into use as social housing as soon as possible.