Purpose

To seek Members’ agreement on the budget for the Housing
Revenue Account (HRA) for 2025/26, approve the resulting rent levels and for
Members to approve the HRA Business Plan 2025/26 for submission to Welsh
Government (WG)

Content

RESOLVED -

 

(i)         That Wrexham continues to use a Target
Rent for each type of property applying 2.7% to current target rents for
2025/26.

 

(ii)       That for properties that are below the
Target Rents for 2025/26 – an increase of rent of 2.7%.

 

(iii)      That for properties at or above the Target
Rents for 2025/26 – no rent increase.

 

(iv)      That an increase of 2.7% for garage rent to
£9.98 (48 week basis)

 

(v)       That
an increase of 2.7% for garage plots (annual charge £66.14).

 

(vi)      That an increase of 2.7% for warden charge to
£4.18 per week.

 

(vii)     That an increase of 2.7%
for charges for Travellers’ plots to £105.10 and £124.35 per week for larger plots (52 week basis).

 

(viii)    That the HRA budget for 2025/26 as set out
in Appendix 1 to report COH/01/25 be approved.

 

(ix)      That
the HRA Business Plan 2025/26 for submission to Welsh

Government
(Appendix 5) be approved.

 

(x)       That this matter be dealt with as an
urgent item of business in accordance with Section 5 (Rule 5.8.10) of
the Council’s Constitution.

 

Reasons for decisions

 

(i)        To
set the overall rent levels of Council house dwellings for 2025/26 in accordance
with the WG rent policy and ensure that the HRA operates with appropriate
levels of balance.

 

(ii)       To comply with WG’s requirement to produce an
annual HRA Business Plan and demonstrate that there is sufficient
budget to continue to undertake planned works to ensure that all properties are
maintained to the appropriate standard for tenants.

 

(iii)      This
matter is to be dealt with as an urgent item in order to ensure that the revised
rent is implemented with effect from April 2024. There is a requirement under
Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 that two months’ notice of a rent increase is given to contract
holders. Any delay in serving the notice could impact on the start date of the
revised rent with a detrimental impact on the HRA for 2025/26.