A RISE in service charges for social housing tenants will be discussed by Bournemouth council on Wednesday.
The borough's cabinet will be discussing its housing revenue account budget at 10.30am. Following Government policy, social housing rents are due to drop by one per cent until 2020/21, when they will rise according to the consumer price index plus one per cent.
However the council is proposing to increase charges for such services as laundry and window cleaning by three per cent. Also, rents for tenant garages are due to be increased by the same amount.
A report to the cabinet says several garage sites are deemed to "offer redevelopment opportunities for new housing in the next few years", although many "would not get planning permission to be redeveloped as housing due to their proximity to heathland".
Bournemouth council's housing stock comprises 5,123 tenanted and 514 leasehold properties and a rent roll of £22.1 million in 2018/19. It is the only council in Dorset which directly owns and manages its stock.
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