Agenda item

6.1

It was moved by Councillor Paul Wood, and seconded by Councillor Garry Weatherall, that the following recommendations made by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 20^th January 2021 in relation to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan and Budget 2021/22, be approved:-

“RESOLVED: That Cabinet recommends to the meeting of the City Council on 3rd February 2021 that:-

(a)      the HRA Business Plan report for 2021/22, as set out in the appendix to the report, is approved;

(b)      the HRA Revenue Budget 2021/22, as set out in the appendix to the report, is approved;

(c)      rents for council dwellings are increased by 1.5% from April 2021 in line with the Regulator of Social Housing’s Rent Standard;

(d)      rents for temporary accommodation remain unchanged for 2021/22;

(e)      garage rents for garage plots and garage sites are increased by 1.5% from April 2021;

(f)       the community heating standing charge is increased by £0.60 per week from April 2021, and the unit kWh price remains unchanged for 2021/22;

(g)      the sheltered housing service charge remains unchanged for 2021/22;

(h)      the burglar alarm charge remains unchanged for 2021/22; and

(i)       the furnished accommodation charge remains unchanged for 2021/22.”

6.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Andrew Sangar, seconded by Councillor Mike Levery, as an amendment, that the recommendations made by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 20th January, 2021, concerning the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan and HRA Budget 2021/22, be approved with the addition of new paragraphs (j) and (k) as follows:-

(j)       welcomes that Sheffield has set an ambition to become a zero carbon city by 2030, and at the February 2020 full council meeting the Council accepted an amendment by the main opposition group to bring a report to Cabinet within six months setting out a programme outlining how all of the housing stock covered by the HRA will have had sufficient investment in both energy efficiency schemes and new heating systems to contribute to meet the city’s zero carbon target within the next ten years and, as this report has yet to go to Cabinet, requests that such a report should go to Cabinet in the next three months; and

(k)      notes the concerns of many council tenants with the backlog in council housing repairs over the past year, and requests that for all council tenants there is a single point of contact for all tenant issues, including repairs and maintenance, and that the Repairs and Maintenance Service aims for a one visit solution for all repair calls with, if required, a timely follow-up visit to fully complete the work.

6.3

It was then moved by Councillor Peter Garbutt, seconded by Councillor Paul Turpin, as an amendment, that the recommendations made by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 20th January, 2021, concerning the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan and HRA Budget 2021/22, be approved with the addition of new paragraphs (j) to (m) as follows:-

(j)       is pleased to note the HRA Business Plan finally recognises the impact that housing can have in addressing the climate change emergency and that the Council will, this year, set a priority to develop plans to address climate change and contribute to achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030;

(k)      believes that effective mechanisms to measure and record the impact on the climate crisis are essential;

(l)       therefore requests officers to bring forward reports on:-

(i)       how to measure (A) space heating demand in addition to Energy Performance Certificates and (B) carbon embodied in buildings;

(ii)       options for the use of geothermal, ground- or air-source heat pumps and solar panels, to replace boiler houses; and

(iii)      maximising the scope for boosting biodiversity on housing land; and

(m)     believes that housing improvements are important but that the present backlog of housing repairs must be addressed, including those non-urgent repairs where there is a contractual duty.

6.4

After contributions from four other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Paul Wood, the amendment moved by Councillor Andrew Sangar was put to the vote and was negatived.

6.4.1

The votes on the amendment were ordered to be recorded and were as follows:-

For the amendment (32)

-

The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Gail Smith) and Councillors Simon Clement-Jones, Bob Pullin, Richard Shaw, Bob McCann, Angela Argenzio, Douglas Johnson, Martin Phipps, Tim Huggan, Mohammed Mahroof, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Vic Bowden, Roger Davison, Barbara Masters, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Paul Turpin, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Kevin Oxley, Peter Garbutt, Alison Teal, David Baker, Penny Baker, Vickie Priestley, Alan Hooper and Mike Levery.

Against the amendment (46)

-

The Lord Mayor (Councillor Tony Downing) and Councillors Chris Rosling-Josephs, Sophie Wilson, Denise Fox, Bryan Lodge, Karen McGowan, Jackie Drayton, Talib Hussain, Mark Jones, Anne Murphy, Mazher Iqbal, Mary Lea, Zahira Naz, Andy Bainbridge, Moya O’Rourke, Abdul Khayum, Alan Law, Abtisam Mohamed, Lewis Dagnall, Cate McDonald, Bob Johnson, George Lindars-Hammond, Josie Paszek, Terry Fox, Sioned-Mair Richards, Jim Steinke, Julie Dore, Ben Miskell, Jack Scott, Mike Drabble, Dianne Hurst, Dawn Dale, Peter Price, Garry Weatherall, Mike Chaplin, Tony Damms, Jayne Dunn, Jack Clarkson, Julie Grocutt, Francyne Johnson, Ben Curran, Neale Gibson, Adam Hurst, Mick Rooney, Jackie Satur and Paul Wood.

Abstained from voting on the amendment (0)

-

Nil

6.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Peter Garbutt was then put to the vote and was carried.

6.6

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 2021/22, as set out in the appendix to the report, is approved;

(b)      the HRA Revenue Budget 2021/22, as set out in the appendix to the report, is approved;

(c)      rents for council dwellings are increased by 1.5% from April 2021 in line with the Regulator of Social Housing’s Rent Standard;

(d)      rents for temporary accommodation remain unchanged for 2021/22;

(e)      garage rents for garage plots and garage sites are increased by 1.5% from April 2021;

(f)       the community heating standing charge is increased by £0.60 per week from April 2021, and the unit kWh price remains unchanged for 2021/22;

(g)      the sheltered housing service charge remains unchanged for 2021/22;

(h)      the burglar alarm charge remains unchanged for 2021/22;

(i)       the furnished accommodation charge remains unchanged for 2021/22;

(j)       this Council is pleased to note the HRA Business Plan finally recognises the impact that housing can have in addressing the climate change emergency and that the Council will, this year, set a priority to develop plans to address climate change and contribute to achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030;

(k)      this Council believes that effective mechanisms to measure and record the impact on the climate crisis are essential;

(l)       this Council therefore requests officers to bring forward reports on:-

(i)       how to measure (A) space heating demand in addition to Energy Performance Certificates and (B) carbon embodied in buildings;

(ii)       options for the use of geothermal, ground- or air-source heat pumps and solar panels, to replace boiler houses; and

(iii)      maximising the scope for boosting biodiversity on housing land; and

(m)     this Council believes that housing improvements are important but that the present backlog of housing repairs must be addressed, including those non-urgent repairs where there is a contractual duty.

6.6.1

(NOTE: The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Gail Smith) and Councillors Simon Clement-Jones, Bob Pullin, Richard Shaw, Bob McCann, Tim Huggan, Mohammed Mahroof, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Vic Bowden, Roger Davison, Barbara Masters, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Kevin Oxley, David Baker, Penny Baker, Vickie Priestley, Alan Hooper and Mike Leveryabstained from voting on the Substantive Motion, and asked for this to be recorded.)