The cost of renting a garage for council tenants and leaseholders will rise by 90p, while travellers will be charged an extra 4.8% to park on council-owned caravan sites, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter

Top Waltham Forest councillors are set to approve a range of rent increases that will affect its tenants who rent garages and travellers who park on council-owned caravan sites.

Travellers and certain residents with garages will see a uniform increase of 4.8% from 8th April onwards.

People living in council-owned homes will pay £6.41 more a week, according to a report published this month.

The increase will bring their rent up to £137.14 per week, up from the current rate of £130.73.

Councillor Ahsan Khan, deputy leader and cabinet member for housing and regeneration, previously said: “Rent and service charges are vital to ensure that the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is well funded.

“This money is used to manage and maintain our council housing stock and ensure tenants are living in safe and secure homes. We have a legal duty to ensure rent and service charges are set at levels that ensure the long-term viability of our housing service.”

The cost of renting a garage for council tenants and leaseholders will rise by 90p, while other residents with garages will be hit with an increase of 29%.

The hikes will also affect travellers, who will be charged an extra 4.8% to park on council-owned caravan sites.

The proposals will go before the cabinet next week and have been recommended for approval by financial officers.

The meeting will also see the leadership back proposals to increase council tax by 4.99% in April.

Anything above 4.99% would require a public referendum.

In a statement issued earlier this week, council leader Grace Williams said the council would be borrowing £19million from the government to offset its overspend. She called the decision to apply for the loan “financially responsible and morally correct”.

The HRA is separate from the council’s main coffers and is used exclusively for the housing stock.

The council’s total housing revenue will rise from £83.3m to £86.9m next year. It will cost the council £33.4m to run the housing service, bringing its total income down to £53.5m.

With similar hikes forecast for the next decade, Waltham Forest will be bringing in just shy of £113m by 2036. Net operating costs projected at £49.3m, however, means this will be closer to £63.7m in actuality.

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