Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Housing Services.

The report of the Head of Housing Services incorporating the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan for 2021 to 2051 was presented for the Executive’s consideration and approval.

The Portfolio Member for Housing and Supporting Communities prefaced his introduction of the HRA Business Plan by thanking the Housing Service’s staff both for the report and Plan and also for their readiness to radically change the way they worked during the pandemic period for the benefit of the Island’s vulnerable individuals and the Housing Service’s tenants. The Business Plan provides an overview of how the Housing Service has adapted its services to continue to support its tenants and residents as part of the Covid-19 recovery vision and ambition and among the highlights of the Plan are the following –

•           The expected completion during the year of 58 new council homes within 5 developments these being in Rhosybol, Llanfachraeth, Amlwch and Holyhead where there are two developments.

•           The planned acquisition of 15 additional homes through the buyback of former council properties sold through the Right to Buy.

•           Improvements and upgrading work undertaken in 53 properties in the Min y Môr Estate in Aberffraw and the Awel y Môr and Trem y Môr estates in Rhosneigr.

•           An innovative development supported by grant funding from Welsh Government’s Optimised Retrofit Programme which will see hybrid Air Source Heat pumps being trialled as part of an Air source Heat Pump pilot scheme in 19 households at Pont y Brenin, Llangoed. These will be among the first homes in Wales to be installed with the new hybrid heating system.

The Head of Housing Services reported that the Business Plan provides a solid foundation for moving forwards and delivering on the Service’s priorities and its council house development programme. The Council’s housing stock currently stands at 3,852 units (stock profile at 3.1 of the Plan) and by the end of the Business Plan’s lifespan the total stock will have reached 5,000 units based on a development plan which seeks to deliver at least 45 new council housing units per annum.The HRA is also looking to deliver the third extra care housing scheme on the Island which will be a 40 unit development in the Aethwy area; work on this development is expected to commence in 2022/23. The Head of Housing Services advised that given that Welsh Government places emphasis on tenant satisfaction, the Housing Service was gratified to see the results of a Tenants’ Satisfaction Survey report published last week by Welsh Government which took in the views of all Housing Association tenants as well as the tenants of the 11 councils in Wales that have retained their housing stock; the survey of tenants’ views placed the Isle of Anglesey Council first among the councils for the quality of homes, and second for repair and maintenance, for listening to tenants and for overall tenant satisfaction. Additionally, according to recently released Performance Indicator data, Anglesey’s Housing Service is first in Wales for rental income collection.

As well as welcoming the HRA Business Plan as setting the Service’s vision for the next twenty years based on Quality Homes: sustainable communities, the Executive also paid tribute to the Housing Service for the work the service had already achieved over previous years as an innovative, customer focused service committed to providing quality affordable housing across Anglesey, and Members indicated that they were looking forward in anticipation to the realisation of the Plan. The Executive’s members also acknowledged the many ways in which the Housing Service and its staff had over the past year contributed to the response to the pandemic emergency and in particular for having led on the Covid-19 community response.

It was resolved -

•           To approve the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan 2021-2051, and in particular the HRA budget for 2021-2022 to be submitted to Welsh Government.

•           To approve the proposed Housing Capital Programme for 2021/2022, as stated within the Capital Budget.