Agenda item

The Director of Customer & Corporate Services to present a report which sets out the financial strategy for 2019/20 to 2023/24, including detailed revenue budget proposals for 2019/20 and asks Executive to recommend the proposals to Council for approval.

Resolved:  (i)      That the average rent decrease of 1% to be applied to all ‘social housing rents’ for 2019/20 be approved, as required by legislation and as shown in table 16 at paragraph 169 of the report and described in paragraph 168.

                   (ii)      That the average rent increase of 3.4% to be applied to all rents which fall outside the definition of ‘social housing rents’ for 2019/20, with the exception of a 2.7% increase on the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Community site rents, be approved, as described in paragraphs 170 and 172.

Reason:     To ensure the ongoing financial stability of the HRA and allow work on improving the quality of the council’s affordable housing to continue.

[See also under Part B]

The Director of Customer & Corporate Services presented a report which set out the financial strategy for 2019/20 to 2023/24, including detailed revenue budget proposals for 2019/20. 

The budget reflected the council’s priorities, with significant revenue and capital investment in a number of critical services, including adult social care, children’s services, waste and street cleansing and libraries.  The income and expenditure proposals, if approved, would result in a 3.25 % increase in the City of York element of the council tax, of which 1.5% would relate to the social care precept.

Members welcomed the investment in front line services, against a background of reduced government funding across the country, indicating that there was a need to balance the council’s ambitions against an increase in council tax that was fair to York residents.  Having noted the comments made under public participation, it was

Resolved:  (i)      That the average rent decrease of 1% to be applied to all ‘social housing rents’ for 2019/20 be approved, as required by legislation and as shown in table 16 at paragraph 169 of the report and described in paragraph 168.

                   (ii)      That the average rent increase of 3.4% to be applied to all rents which fall outside the definition of ‘social housing rents’ for 2019/20, with the exception of a 2.7% increase on the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Community site rents, be approved, as described in paragraphs 170 and 172.

Reason:     To ensure the ongoing financial stability of the HRA and allow work on improving the quality of the council’s affordable housing to continue.