Row breaks out in Barnsley over rent rise

Barnsley Council approved plans to increase rents by four per cent for council tenants, which will add an average of £3.35 per week to rent bills.

This is the maximum that rents can be increased in 2022/23 in line withGovernment policy.

But the Barnsley Liberal Democrat Group leader called the rise “yet another blow to the people in our borough who are already feeling the very high impact of the cost of living crisis.”

Councillor Hannah Kitching told today’s (February 3) full council meeting that the Lib Dems “appreciate the immense challenges facing local governments under this Tory government”, but said the plan was “the wrong way” to raise cash.

Coun Kitching added that the country is facing a “serious, crippling” cost of living crisis, and the group could not support the decision.

She referred to the cost of several projects around the borough, such as the Glass Works, the Penny Pie Park Gyratory and the Market Gate Bridge.

“There’s always money for a town centre vanity project,” councillor Kitching told the meeting.

“All [residents] see is they are struggling to live, struggling to get by and Barnsley Council have spent millions and millions.”

However, Labour leader of BMBC, Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE, told the meeting that the funding for capital projects such as the Glass Works is a separate fund, and does not affect the housing revenue account.

“You cannot cross fertilise those funds,” said Sir Steve Hougton.

“Whatever we spend on the general fund….capital projects, the town centre, Dodworth Road major improvement scheme, whatever it is is, does not affect our HRA. She knows that, I know that”

Coun Sir Steve Houghton added that the rents have been raised in line with the government’s guidance, and added that if the council did not raise rents, next year, the government will take it into account when issuing the HRA subsidy next year.

“The other alternative is to start cutting services and sacking some staff. Nobody wants to do that.

“It’s hard for people out there and I get that, but we have a responsibility to make sure we have a proper service for tenants, because they want the repairs, and they want their houses looked after.

“It has to be paid for, and I certainly don’t want to be here next year looking at a reduced subsidy from the government.”

“So rather than blaming Barnsley Council, get your facts straight, try and understand the issue properly, and report it properly to the people out there.”

What is the Housing Revenue Account used for?

In 2012, the government devolved power to councils to manage their own council homes, and the funds are kept in a Housing Revenue Account, which is redistributed back to the council to fund management, maintenance and major improvements of the housing stock

Barnsley’s HRA investment plan sets out how the funding will be used to fund more council homes, de-carbonising existing properties and “investing in further health and safety measures including fire safety improvements”.

A report to cabinet states that a programme to upgrade the energy efficiency of council homes will focus on households that are experiencing fuelpoverty.

The report also proposes a further £11.4M investment to build new council homes.