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Issue - meetings
Performance and Financial Monitoring for 2018/19 - Yearend Report
Meeting: 13/06/2019 - Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 10)
10 Performance and Financial Monitoring for 2018/19 - Yearend Report PDF 334 KB
Minutes:
Question: Selective licensing is showing a variance in income in advance of licenses yet to be issued and due to a recent court ruling regarding EU directive 2006/123/EC in July 2018 meaning councils may need to prove that licensing fees only cover the costs of administration, would it be wise to put some of the money aside to see if this affects Hastings Borough Council?
Answer: It is a self-financing scheme and is not, nor will it ever be, an income generator. Some people were not paying their invoices once the work had been done so the system was changed to a payment in advance system. This is why it is money in advance. If the license falls through then the money is refunded, but there is a team looking into how the licence is funded to make sure everything is correct if these questions are asked.
Question: How does the council arrive at the fee?
Answer: Cannot answer completely but would be happy to have Peter Grace and Andrew Palmer present a report to you that breaks down the licencing fees.
Action: Director of Operational Services agreed to source a response as suggested prior to the next Q1 (September) meeting.
Question: Regarding HMO’s how do you deal with the situations where there are multiple freeholders? How many of these properties are there? And how do you deal with a situation where someone on benefits cannot afford it?
Answer: The licensing scheme is first and foremost to protect the people who live in these properties. There will be problems and we will always try to be sympathetic in these situations. Cannot give a detailed answer around multiple freeholders but can ask and bring the answer back. It has been an incredibly successful scheme and has brought standards in Hastings up. It is a success story that is ahead of the curve but as we have seen the increase in tenancy, this scheme needs to be rolled out wider. There is confidence that staff are making plans to address the EU ruling.
Councillors commented that the scheme is very good and is important in making residents lives better. They are happy that the funding of the scheme is going to be unpacked following the commitment from the Director of Operational Services to follow this up.
Question: the homelessness spend, is it sustainable? What will the council do if it isn’t? What funding is available to the council?
Answer: It is not sustainable, there is a potential deficit of £2m either the council will overspend or it has to take money from other budgets. Cabinet approved £2.5m to acquire temporary accommodation. There may be a case in the future for more but will require further conversations and if viable, approval of an associated business case.
Question: What is the council doing about the underspend on the rough sleeping initiative?
Answer: we will spend that money, it isn’t an underspend.
Question: there ... view the full minutes text for item 10
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