'Tough decision' over council tenants rent rise

The ruling Labour group said this was a tough decision, but the rise was necessary to ensure continued investment in council housing.

More than 81 per cent of tenants get support from housing benefit to pay their rent, but the Conservatives – who opposed the rise – said people on low incomes who do not get help would be worst hit.

Coun Ivan Taylor, deputy leader of the council, told the annual budget meeting it had been a “difficult decision” but the increase was below inflation currently running at nine per cent.

He said: “We don’t want to impose that pain on our tenants in addition to all the pain they have at this present time.

“But unless we keep it to a reasonable rate it doesn’t take long before the Housing Revenue Account gets into trouble and that is central to all that we do.

“Our ambitious housing programme will accelerate in the near future and is dependant on a healthy Housing Revenue Account that won’t drop below £1m.”

Work is currently underway to build 131 new council houses at Grange Park as part of a £20m project.

But Coun Don Clapham, interim leader of the Conservative group, said he was “disappointed” there had not been an attempt to freeze rents.

He said: “I can see the sensible point of keeping £1m in reserves and for a lot of people their rents are paid by benefits.

“But I think of a lot of the people outside benefits are fairly low paid workers and the only way they can afford a decent home is by being provided with one by the borough.

“And they are the ones that will feel this.”

Coun Neal Brookes said even with the rise Blackpool would still have the fifth lowest rents in the country.

He added: “I think we have done a reasonable job of protecting our community and balancing that with our aspirations of increasing social housing in Blackpool.”

In 2022/23 the average weekly rent charged in Blackpool was £73 for general rent properties and £98 for affordable rent properties.