Agendas, reports and minutes

A hybrid meeting of the Housing and Property Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 26 January 2023 at 10.30am.

Webcast Notice: This meeting will be filmed and broadcast over the Internet on the Highland Council website and will be archived and available for viewing for 12 months thereafter.

You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.

Yours faithfully

Stewart Fraser
Head of Corporate Governance

BUSINESS

1. Apologies for Absence
Leisgeulan

2. Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting.  Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest.  Advice may be sought from officers prior to the meeting taking place.

3. Housing Revenue Account Estimates 2023/24 
Tuairmsean Teachd-a-steach HRA 2023/24  

There is circulated Report No HP/01/23 by the Executive Chief Officer Housing and Property.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.   note that section 8 and Appendix 1 of the report set out a range of rent increase options and their impact on the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2023/24. In order to respond to Member concerns around the cost of living crisis and take on board the feedback received through tenant consultation a 4% rent increase is possible, although this will involve a reduction of £0.708m in the housing repairs and maintenance budget, and will impact negatively on our ability to fund ongoing repairs and maintenance and capacity for future capital investment;
ii.  consider the rent increase options set out in Section 8 and Appendix 1 of the report. If Members agree that a 4% rent increase is the preferred option, this will result in an increase in the average weekly Council house rent from £79.97 to £83.17 (£3.20 per week). The effect of other rent increase options is summarised in the table at section 8.3;
iii. agree that the rent increase agreed for Council house rents is also applied to all residential HRA rents and service charges, to Gypsy/Traveller site pitches and to non-HRA rents for leased properties; and 
iv.  agree that a review of the current HRA Capital Plan is undertaken this year to assess affordability and the level of future rent increases required to fund future investment.

4. Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Non-HRA Revenue Monitoring Statement to 31 December 2022
Aithris Sgrùdaidh Buidseat Cunntas Teachd-a-steach Taigheadais agus Neo-thaigheadais gu 31 An Dubhlachd 2022

There is circulated Report No HP/02/23 by the Executive Chief Officer Housing and Property.

The Committee is invited to approve the budget position on the Housing Revenue Account and non-Housing Revenue Account 2022/23 for the period to 31 December 2022

5. Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Monitoring Report to 31 December 2022
Aithisg Sgrùdaidh Calpa Cunntas Teachd-a-steach Taigheadais gu 31 An Dubhlachd 2022

There is circulated Report No HP/03/23 by the Executive Chief Officer Housing and Property.

The Committee is invited to approve the budget position on the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme Monitoring Report 2022/23 for the period to 31 December 2022.

6. Property & Facilities Management Services Revenue Budget Monitoring Statement Q3 to 31 December 2022
Aithisg Sgrùdaidh Teachd-a-steach Sheirbheisean Rianachd Cuid-seilbh & Ghoireasan gu 31 An Dubhlachd 2022

There is circulated Report No HP/04/23 by the Executive Chief Officer Housing and Property.

The Committee is invited to note:

i.   that based on the best available information to date, a service budget gap of £2.610m to the end of 2022/23 is presently forecast. This is an increasing budget gap since the Q1 monitoring report where a budget gap of £1.261m was being projected;
ii.  that the budget gap may change positively or negatively depending on the application of expenditure and recruitment controls, filling fee earning posts in an extremely challenging job market, adjusting services to meet previously agreed budget savings; in-year income recovery, identifying new income and procurement opportunities;
iii. the progress update provided in relation to budget savings delivery; and
iv.  that further adjustments will be made in future quarterly reporting to reflect the updated apportionment of costs across the new Service structure.

7. Property Capital Monitoring Statement and Progress Update
Aithris Sgrùdaidh Calpa Seilbhe agus Cunntas às Ùr air Adhartas

There is circulated Report No HP/05/23 by the Executive Chief Officer Housing and Property.

The Committee is invited to note:

i.   note the position for the third quarter of the 2022/23 financial year, and the estimated year-end position;
ii.  note the progress made with the projects referred to in this report;
iii. note the progress on the structural investigations at Thurso High School and APPROVE the allocation of £2M from the School Estate Improvement Programme capital budget heading for the installation of modular classroom accommodation, all as outlined in Paragraphs 4.5 and 4.6 of the report;
iv.  note the progress on the new building for Ness Castle Primary School in Inverness and that a verbal update will be provided at the Committee meeting; and
v.   note that an announcement on the outcome of the bidding process for Phase 3 of the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Investment Programme is expected early in 2023 and that a verbal update will be provided at the Committee meeting.