Council Housing for Rent - we want your views

Our Rent Consultation is now closed

Clackmannanshire Council is reviewing the Housing Revenue Account Financial Business Plan 2013-18, and we want to hear your views to shape the future of the Housing Service.

This consultation closed on Monday, 15th April 2013
All responses are anonymous and will help shape the final plan
For more information, please refer to the following documents:
- Rent Consultation document
- Tenants' Information Service report

Results of the initial consultation were published in the View, Autumn 2012 edition.

Housing Business Plan front cover The Financial Business Plan supports the rent structure which allows us to make annual investment in our 5000 houses.

It affects investment in replacement programmes for

kitchens
bathrooms
front doors
heating systems

The new plan will influence rental charges and how we deliver services until 2018, so it is important that we know what you think.

Investment

The Council has invested £40 million in the last 5 years to improve the standard and availability of council housing.

This has included:

SHQS
- 89% of our housing stock now meets this national standard, which is currently the highest in Scotland for local authority landlords.
Clackmannanshire Standard
- the kitchen and front door replacement programme is now complete.
Bathroom programme
- due to complete in 2016.
In the last year, 1,084 houses have received full new central heating systems with "A" rated energy efficient combi boilers.
Gas networks being provided to areas previously off the gas grid - areas such as Craigview, Branshill Park in Sauchie, Carseview in Tullibody, and areas of Tillicoultry.
New build Council houses in Alva and Tullibody, due for let from April 2013.

Planned spending

Our planned spending for each £1 of rent received in 2013/14 is as follows: Pie chart showing planned spending for each £1 of rent received in 2013/14

Rent levels

We previously set rent levels to cover future investment, but we have delivered savings, reduced borrowing, and kept as many properties as possible from demolition since the last Business Plan was finalised. This has enabled us to review rent levels, which is why we are asking you for your views again.

Currently, our rent charges are slightly above the Scottish average:

Bar chart showing average weekly rent levels 2012/13

It is important that we take account of what current and prospective tenants, and other customers, are likely to be able to afford so please give us your views.

More information

More information on our proposal is available in our Rent Consultation document, and you can also refer to the Tenants' Information Service report commissioned by the Tenants Federation on the robustness and integrity of the Business Plan.