Rent rise on the cards for council tenants

As rising energy costs hit the headlines, a 4.1 per cent increase in rent is on the cards too after Cannock Chase Council’s cabinet backed the proposal.

Councillor Adrienne Fitzgerald, portfolio leader for housing, heritage and leisure, said: “The increase amounts to a rise of only £1 to £125 per week for tenants.

“The increased income will help us to deliver improved housing stock and ensure this meets with regulations in social housing standards. It will also fund the cost of work to meet climate change targets by reducing carbon emissions.

“Cannock Chase Council social housing rents are lower than comparable other rents.

“It is worth noting that over 40 per cent of the council’s rent is paid through benefits, Universal Credit or rent rebates. Our tenants who are worse off will be cushioned from this increase.”

Tenants were consulted on the proposed rent increase in autumn 2021, a cabinet report said.

It added: “It should be noted that the council’s average rent is out of kilter with most social landlords that operates in the Cannock area and throughout Staffordshire.

In accordance with the national rent policy, rents were reduced by one per cent per annum from 2016-20 and hence there is a need to adhere to the new government policy to enable investment in our housing stock. If we do not increase the rent in 2022/23 the disparity gap between the rent levels of council and social landlords will increase.”

The current weekly social rent for a Cannock Chase Council property is £67.77 for a one bedroom property, £ 76.90 for a two bedroom property, £81.33 for a three bedroom property and £87.99 for a four bedroom property. The cabinet report revealed these rates were lower than those charged by other social housing providers in the area and private landlords.

Cabinet members also considered budget and spending plans for council housing stock on Wednesday.

The former Aelfgar School site in Rugeley has been acquired, where 29 out of 58 homes being built will be council properties. A planning application for the site was approved last year.

Plans are also in the pipeline for more homes at a council-owned site in Chadsmoor.

Communal block fire risk actions and a manual call point project to allow testing of fire alarms in blocks of flats with communal areas have both been added to the housing capital programme.

The cabinet report said: “Covid 19 has had a detrimental impact on the current year’s capital programme with a backlog of work arising from lockdown periods and the underlying requirement to socially distance. In particular, in addition to slippage of programmed work from 2021-22 to 2022-23, a delay has occurred in the commissioning of a Stock Condition Survey and a costed Climate Change Action Plan, key elements of a new 30-year Business Plan.

“The current Capital Programme therefore reflects the existing 30-year Business Plan requirements, pending an evaluation of developments in energy efficiency and retrofitting, new build requirements and the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on social housing.”

Council leader Olivia Lyons said: “I think this is a really ambitious housing programme. The retrofit work and work to new properties to move towards carbon zero is quite exciting.”

Deputy leader Bryan Hones said: “Everybody has the right to live in decent accommodation. We have heard of local authorities struggling to provide these basic needs to their residents.

“I’m reassured that here in Cannock Chase we don’t have these issues and we are investing. That’s to our credit and the credit of the housing team.

“But we are not complacent. The capital programme shows we are not resting on our laurels.

“We know we are never going to get 100 per cent satisfaction but we will continue to strive to maintain and improve standards.”