Councillors clash over council rent rise in Dudley

Opposition members of the council have described the above inflation increases as ‘turning the screw’ on those in social housing.

Councillor Qadar Zada, Labour’s group leader, hit out at the proposal after the Conservative led authority announced the proposed rise last week.

“We are disgusted because it is the Tories hitting hard the people who need the greatest support, ” he said.

His comments are bound to cause sparks between the local authority’s Conservative leadership and opposition Labour councillors when they meet at Thursday cabinet meeting.

Councillor Laura Taylor, cabinet member for housing, communities and residents’ welfare, announced the rise last week which will see tenants’ average weekly bill increase from £76.47 to £78.53.

In responding to her announcement, Councillor Zada said extra funding from the government next year should be used to take the pressure off those on low incomes.

“The issue here is those people who are in accommodation like council housing need support, they need to feel the ease when additional money comes in.

“We are disgusted that the Tories had the chance to ease the burden on local people and what they did was turn the screw.”

Councillor Patrick Harley, Conservative leader of the council, responding, defended the increase saying the council’s housing revenue account ring-fenced any additional funding from the government and would be spent on areas such as social care.

He said: “We are doing exactly what Councillor Zada would have done had he retained control the council at May’s election. If you don’t increase the rents, we are not doing anything different to what he would have done.

“If you don’t increase the rents in line with inflation plus one then you’re really storing up trouble down the road for the housing revenue account.

“Once you get into that cycle it’s very hard to get out of it , which would mean there is less money to invest in bringing the council’s housing stock up to date.”

He claimed if rents do not increase now it will only lead to higher increases in the future.

“Much of that housing stock is now approaching 60 years of age and it drastically needs to be brought up to date.

“If you do not do this then you won’t have the money to do what we want to do for housing.”

The rise, along with plans to spend £40 million a year on housing, will be discussed at the cabinet on October 31.