Decision details

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Leisure Services seeking the continuation of resident driven investment to create neighbourhoods where people want to live.

(i)  To approve a series of virements, totalling £2,289,000 from the uncommitted provision for Future Decent Neighbourhoods Schemes, within the HRA Capital Programme and Business Plan, to provide budgets for specific schemes, as detailed in Table 1 below.

Table 1

(ii)  To note that there is an existing uncommitted budget of £574,000 for Roads, Paths and Hardstandings, within the Well Maintained Communal Facilities section of the HRA Capital Programme; and

(iii)  To approve, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, capital spending of £2,863,000 on Decent Neighbourhoods schemes, phased £1,794,000 in 2013/14, £737,000 in 2014/15 and £332,000 in 2015/16 as detailed in the Appendix to this report.

Financial Procedure Rules state that all schemes already in the Capital Programme up to the value of £125,000 require approval by the relevant Chief Officer, following consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member and Chief Finance Officer.  Schemes over £125,000 but less than £250,000 will require approval by the Cabinet Member.  Schemes between £250,000 and  £2 million will require Cabinet approval.  The schemes in this report fall into all three categories but are presented in one report to Cabinet for completeness.

1. There have been various consultation meetings with tenant groups and leaseholders during the last nine months with regard to the proposed programme of capital expenditure associated with the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and the new self-financing regime.
2. These works form part of the approved 4 year plan (formally approved in November 2011).
3. The alternative option of not undertaking the works identified would leave the Council’s homes and surrounding areas in their present condition and would not accord with the view expressed during the consultation process or with the Council’s policies of providing homes that comply with the four new headings:-

·  Safe, Wind and Weather Tight;

·  Warm and Energy Efficient;

·  Modern Facilities; and

·  Well Maintained Communal Facilities