Maidstone Borough Council’s cabinet voted in September 2026 to reopen its Housing Revenue Account, transfer £500,000 of reserves into it and move 56 affordable and social rented homes under its management.

Maidstone Borough Council’s cabinet voted on 16 September 2026 to reopen its Housing Revenue Account (HRA), a move that will place the council’s existing stock of affordable housing under a dedicated financial structure for the first time in years.

What was decided

The cabinet resolved to reopen the HRA on 1 October 2026, transferring £500,000 of unallocated reserves into the account. The council’s current stock of 56 units — described in the papers as affordable and social rented housing and specialised supported housing — was to be transferred to the HRA under existing tenancy agreements, at existing rent and service charge levels.

The cabinet also approved an HRA Business Plan and a set of housing policies attached to the report, and noted proposed governance arrangements for the account. HRA borrowing is to be accounted for separately from General Fund borrowing, in accordance with principles set out in the officer report.

Lockmeadow consultation confirmed

At the same meeting the cabinet considered a reference from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee about the Lockmeadow site in Maidstone, following a scrutiny review of a cabinet decision taken on 22 July 2026. A petition on the matter was also received and noted.

The Cabinet Member for Healthier and Stronger Communities said the cabinet planned to consult local residents and businesses to identify a preferred proposal for the Lockmeadow site, after which a report would be brought to the Policy Advisory Committee and cabinet setting out a proposal to maximise the value of the site.

The cabinet resolved to note the scrutiny committee’s comments and recommendations but not to amend its original July decision.

Performance and finance

The cabinet also noted the council’s annual performance report for 2025/26. The Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness highlighted that the number of households in temporary accommodation had fallen by 21% and that homelessness applications had reduced by 13%. The cabinet thanked the housing team for achieving those reductions within budget.

The first-quarter finance update for 2026/27, covering the position as at 30 June 2026, was also noted, along with significant variances identified in both revenue and capital positions.

Sources

Top image: illustrative, computer-generated. Illustrative image generated by AI. This is not a photograph of any real Maidstone council housing property.