Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Housing and Property Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Wednesday 29 January 2025 at 9.30am.

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
Chief Officer - Legal and Corporate Governance

Business

1. Calling of the Roll and Apologies for Absence
Gairm a’ Chlàir agus Leisgeulan

2. Declarations of Interest/Transparency Statement
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt/Aithris Fhollaiseachd

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 provide some information on the nature of the interest and leave the meeting at the appropriate time.  Advice may be sought from officers prior to the meeting taking place.

3. Good News
Naidheachdan Matha

The Committee is asked to note the good news as presented.

4. Housing Revenue Account Estimates 2025/26
Tuairmsean Cunntas Teachd-a-steach Taigheadais 2025/26

There is circulated Report No HP/01/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to:

i. note the requirements to achieve a balanced budget and associated budget pressures for the Housing Revenue Account for 2025/26;
ii. note the feedback received from tenants through the annual rent consultation;
iii. approve an 8% rent increase for 2025/26 and how this increase will be allocated, which is detailed in Appendix 1 to the report;  
iv. note how this will impact upon rents across the Council house estate and how this compares with rents across Scotland as detailed in section 5 of the report;  
v. note the above rent increase will be applied to all residential HRA rents and service charges, to Gypsy/Traveller site pitches and to non-HRA rents for leased properties (subject to lease agreements); and
vi. note that in line with the Council’s Housing Challenge, work is ongoing to develop a detailed action plan and that this will include the development of a long term rent strategy to enable the expansion of the social rented housing stock alongside maintenance and improvement of the existing HRA estate.  

5. Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Non-HRA Budget Monitoring Statement to 31 December 2024
Aithris Sgrùdaidh Buidseat Cunntas Teachd-a-steach Taigheadais agus Cunntas Teachd-a-steach Neo-thaigheadais gu 31 An Dubhlachd 2024

There is circulated Report No HP/02/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and approve the budget position on the Housing Revenue Account and Non-Housing Revenue Account 2024/25 for the period to 31 December 2024.

6. Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Monitoring Report to 31 December 2024
Aithisg Sgrùdaidh Calpa Cunntas Teachd-a-steach Taigheadais gu 31 An Dubhlachd 2024

There is circulated Report No HP/03/25 by the by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and approve the budget position on the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme 2024/25 to 31 December 2024.

7. Property & Facilities Management Services Revenue Monitoring Statement to 31 December 2024
Aithris Sgrùdaidh Teachd-a-steach Sheirbheisean Rianachd Cuid-seilbh & Ghoireasan gu 31 An Dubhlachd 2024    

There is circulated Report No HP/04/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and:

i. approve the budget position for the third quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, and the predicted year-end position;
ii. note 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, and identifying new income and procurement opportunities; and
iii. note the progress update provided in relation to corporate budget savings delivery.

8. Property Revenue Maintenance Programme 2024-25 Report
Aithisg Prògram Gleidhidh Teachd-a-steach Seilbhe 2024-25

There is circulated Report No HP/05/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and approve the:-

i. budget categories for the Property Revenue Maintenance budget;
ii. budget position for the third quarter of the 2024/25 financial year; and
iii. year-end balanced budget, being forecast.

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

There is circulated Report No HP/06/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to note the:-

i. capital monitoring position at the end of the third quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, the estimated year-end position, and the main financial variances outlined in the report;
ii. current position regarding the delivery of the works programmes, the individual projects referred to in the report, and the work underway to identify the priorities for 2025/26 and the subsequent years; and
iii. progress on the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete remedial works at Charleston Academy and Nairn Academy.

10. Community Asset Transfers
Gluasad So-mhaoin Coimhearsnachd

a. Black Isle Education Centre
Ionad-Foghlaim an Eilein Duibh

There is circulated Report No HP/07/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to agree to the sale of the land and property comprising the Raddery Wood and the Former Black Isle Education Centre, Raddery, The Black Isle, to Raddery House Ltd. for £325,500, based upon the terms of transfer as set out at paragraph 6.1 of the report.

b. Elphin Community Hall
Talla Ailbhinn

There is circulated Report No HP/08/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to agree the sale of Elphin Community Hall (former Assynt Primary School) and surrounding land (0.4ha) to Elphin, Ledmore, and Knockan Community Association Ltd (ELKCAL) for £1 based upon the terms of transfer as set out at paragraph 7.1 of the report.

11. Exclusion of the Public
Às-dùnadh a’ Phobaill

The Committee is asked to resolve that, under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public should be excluded from the meeting for Items 12, 13, and 14 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 6 & 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

12. Foul Sewer Servitude Request
Iarrtas Seirbheiseachd Saidhbheir Shalaich

There is circulated to Members only Report No HP/09/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to agree the recommendations as detailed in the report.

13. Housing Development Initiatives
Iomairtean Leasachaidh Taigheadais

There is circulated to Members only Report No HP/10/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to agree the recommendations as detailed in the report.

14. Property Transactions Monitoring
Aithisg Sgrùdaidh Ghnothachasan Seilbhe

There is circulated to Members only Report No HP/11/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to note the recommendations as detailed in the report. 

15. Service Performance Monitoring Report Quarter 3 2024/25
Aithisg Sgrùdaidh Coileanadh Seirbheis Cairteil 3 2024/25

There is circulated Report No HP/12/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and note the Service’s performance information.

16. Housing Performance Report 1 April 2024 – 31 December 2024
Aithisg Choileanaidh Taigheadais 1 Giblean 2024 – 31 An Dubhlachd 2024 

There is circulated Report No HP/13/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is asked to scrutinise and note the information provided on Housing performance in the period 1 April 2024 to 31 December 2024.

17. Delivery Plan Update
Fios às Ùr mun Phlana Lìbhrigidh

There is circulated Report No HP/14/25 by the Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

The Committee is invited to note the:-

i. implementation of the new Void-Plus Policy which is designed to assist the re-letting of void Council houses in Caithness; and
ii. progress provided in the Energy Estate Programme and Project updates in this report.