Published on:
08
February 2013
Clackmannanshire Council have announced a total Capital programme of over £7.9m for 2013/14, and at the same time are on target to deliver the Council's first new affordable rented houses.
The Council confirmed commitment during their budget announcement today of £7m of planned expenditure through capital investment in structural works, energy works, controlled door entry programme, environmental improvements, new bathrooms (1,000 installations) and central heating (350 systems).
Council Leader, Councillor Gary Womersley, revealed during his Budget Speech a total Housing Revenue Budget Expenditure of just over £12.4 million, an overall reduction of £757,000 compared to the original budget for 2012/13.
However, planned maintenance service levels will be maintained in 2013/14 within the budget of £4,625,000. The bulk of the maintenance service is delivered by the internal direct labour organisation.
Clackmannanshire Council repairs costs on an average property are below the Scottish average for other local authority landlords.
Delivering the Budget, Council Leader, Councillor Gary Womserley said: "This demonstrates our ongoing scrutiny of costs and the quality of the stock. The rollout of the appointments service should see improved productivity, efficiency and support the commitment to achieving customer service excellence."
The Council approved the Clackmannanshire Housing Strategy in October 2012 and a further provisional consultation took place in May and June 2012.
The Council re-emphasised priorities for tenants and residents include - new housing supply, tackle anti-social behaviour, make best use of existing houses, improve neighbourhoods and communities, tackle energy efficiency and reduce fuel poverty, invest in new and improved housing, homelessness, support for independent living, and specialist housing.
Councillor Womersley added: "To ensure that we can deliver on these priorities and meet the challenges facing the Housing Service such as the impacts of Welfare Reform and the new Scottish Housing Regulatory Framework, the structure will be redesigned and the priorities incorporated into work planning.
"The structure will focus on teams with the right skills, knowledge and experience who will need to work closely with colleagues in other services to achieve success."
"We must implement our action plan to assist tenants and prospective tenants to tackle the shortfall in benefit allowance to meet rent payments (bedroom tax) and to minimise the risk of rent loss to the HRA (and costs) as a result of Welfare Reform."
Other key areas of work are the implementation of a new Housing Management IT system to help the Council deliver efficiencies and improved services.
Councillor Womersley went on: "We must be able to demonstrate that our services provide
continually improving value for money and that a balance is struck between the level of services provided, the cost of the services and how far current and prospective tenants and other customers can afford them."
In the 2008-13 approved business plan the rent level requirements were 2% over the rate of inflation. Appropriate rent levels will be reviewed as part of the conclusion to the renewed Housing Business Plan due at Council for June 2013.
Councillor Womersley added: "The largest threat to rent charges and rent collection in 2013/14 centres upon the changes to welfare payments. Of the many changes on the move to a Universal Credit system for example, the under-occupation rules will reduce by 14% to 25% the Housing Benefit paid to tenants. This may affect up to 700 tenants who may lose between £9 and £17 per week from current entitlement. This takes effect from April 2013.
In 2012/13 the average rent in Clackmannanshire was £59.82 per week. The average Council house rent in Scotland for 2012/13 was approximately £59.61
The proposed increase of 4.6% represents an average rise of £2.75 per week. This will mean that the average rent in Clackmannanshire in 2013/14 will be £62.57. As the Council charge rent based on 48 weeks this works out at an average of £67.79 per week.
The Capital Programme Plan 2013/18 will see the Council remain among the leaders in Scotland for SHQS attainment by 2015 and in addition are programmed to meet the local
standard for kitchens and bathrooms.
The Council Leader said: "The 2012/13 financial year has been particularly successful with over 1,000 additional houses attaining new central heating and other energy efficient upgrades, including "hard to heat" homes and those previously off the gas network."