26 February 2009,
09/41
£5.7 million to be invested in council
homes
Council tenants in West Lancs will benefit
from a massive £5.7 million investment in their homes during
2009/10.
West Lancs District Council has agreed a
programme of improvements to houses and flats in all parts of the
district as part of a long-term 10-year plan to invest in the
housing stock.
Cllr Val Hopley, portfolio holder for housing,
said: “We have drawn up an ambitious programme of investment in the
Council housing stock which will see a wide range of work carried
out over the next 12 months. In drawing up the list, we took the
views of tenants into account as well as the requirement to ensure
all our homes meet the Decent Homes Standard by the end of 2010. I
am pleased to announce that we are well on the way to meeting this
target.”
The programme of investment and maintenance
includes:
- Around £480,000 for adaptations for people
with disabilities
- Almost £350,000 for improvements to sheltered housing at Cross
Hall Court and Marlborough Court
- £92,500 for installation of new bathrooms at
41 homes
- Just over £250,000 for new central heating at
100 properties
- More than £1 million for new kitchens at
almost 220 bungalows, houses and flats in Skelmersdale
- £700,000 for new windows and doors
The maintenance programme also includes just
over £1/2million for repairs and painting, and a similar amount for
central heating at properties throughout the district.
In addition, through prudent financial
management, the Council have also agreed to invest £438K in the
following:
- Improvement to communal areas of flats -
£100K
- Tile cladding to gable walls (Whitburn)
- £70K
- Priority works to sheltered housing
- £96K
- Environmental improvements - £172K
The Council also authorised that a bid be made
totalling over £1million to invest in further energy efficiency
measures which will benefit tenants because this will mean that
they will have, potentially, cheaper energy bills as a result.
Cllr Hopley said: “The Council has agreed to
bid for an extra £1million to invest in our Council housing stock.
This will be of benefit to our tenants and will support the local
economy with jobs which are much needed. We have also listened to
our tenants and, as part of the additional £438K investment, chosen
to endorse their idea to spend a substantial sum of money on much
needed environmental improvements.”
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