Council property rents are to increase by three per cent in the new financial year.

Tenants in properties owned by Flintshire Council will face an increase in rent for 2018/19 as the local authority meets Welsh Government targets.

Fees will rise by three per cent, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) – set the previous September – moving no further owing to leadership concerns over affordability for tenants.

The council’s community and enterprise overview and scrutiny committee will be asked to consider the rent rises in its draft Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2018/19 when it meets on Monday.

The HRA funds the landlord function of the council for more than 7,000 homes.

This covers the council house building programme, repair and maintenance of homes, stock improvement and environmental improvements, neighbourhood management, including resolving anti-social behaviour and estate care-taking, income collection and customer involvement.

Rent increases and service charges are covered by Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for social tenants.

However, a proportion of tenants will only qualify for partial benefit and so may find it more difficult to make payments.

Cllr Bernie Attridge, Flintshire Council deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, said: “The council is concerned about affordability for tenants and therefore myself and the leader of the council are proposing an option to increase rents by three per cent only, plus up to £2.

“The council’s cabinet will consider this on February 20 and will then make a recommendation to full council later that day. The scrutiny committee will be asked to consider the implications of both options and then to provide feedback to the cabinet ahead of its meeting.

“The Tenants Federation will also be considering both options at their meeting at the end of January.”

Garage rents are set to increase by £1 per week and a garage plot rent increase of 20p per week is proposed.

The HRA is required to produce a 30-year business plan.

This focuses on the achievement of the Welsh Housing Quality Standards Choices document promises being kept, ongoing efficiencies made and 200 new council homes built.

Cllr Aaron Shotton, Flintshire Council leader, said: “£21m has been built into the WHQS programme for 2018/19.

“This includes provision for internal and external, environmental programmes, adaptations for those with disabilities, and energy efficiency works.

“In addition, there is a further £14.2m available for the Council’s Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme (SHARP) to ensure that more council houses and more affordable homes are built during 2018/19.”