Purpose

To seek Members’ agreement on the budget for the Housing
Revenue Account (HRA) for 2024/25, approve the resulting rent levels and for
Members to approve the HRA Business Plan 2024/25 for submission to Welsh
Government (WG)

Content

RESOLVED –

 

(i)         That
Wrexham continues to use a Target Rent for each type of property applying 6.7%
to current target rents for 2024/25.

 

(ii)        That
for properties that are below the Target Rents for 2024/25 – an increase of
rent of 6.7% be applied.

 

(iii)      That
for properties at or above the Target Rents for 2024/25 – no rent increase be
applied.

 

(iv)      That an increase of 6.7% for garage rent to £9.72 (49 week basis) be
applied.

(v)       That
an increase of 6.7% for garage plots (annual charge £64.40) be applied.

(vi)      That an increase of 6.7% for warden charge to £4.07 per week be applied.

(vii)     That
an increase of 6.7% for charges for Travellers’ plots to £102.34 and £121.08
per week for larger plots (53 week basis) be applied.

 

(viii)    That
the cessation of the Assisted Garden Scheme operated from 2024/25 financial
year be approved.

 

(ix)      That
the HRA budget for 2024/25m as set out in Appendix 1 to report COH/01/24, be
approved.

 

(x)       That
the HRA Business Plan 2024/25 be approved for submission to Welsh Government,
as detailed in Appendix 5.

 

(xi)      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 2024/25 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 2024/25.