A record £56.4m investment will be used for a housing improvement programme to bring Wrexham council housing up to standard
Wrexham Council’s Executive Board has approved a record £56.4m investment programme which will fund housing improvement work to be carried out in 2017/18.
The works are being undertaken to ensure Wrexham Council achieves the Welsh Government’s Welsh housing Quality Standard by 2020.
The improvements include offering new kitchens and bathrooms to all properties where they are required to meet the standard. Other external and internal improvements are also being carried out where required, including electrical rewires, new central heating systems, roofing improvements and External Wall Insulation.
The Council anticipates that the work completed over the next 12 months will include:
- 2,000 properties to receive new kitchens;
- 2,400 properties to receive new bathrooms;
- 450 properties to receive new central heating systems;
- 700 properties to receive electrical rewires;
- 950 properties will be reroofed;
- 280 properties will receive External Wall Insulation.
Lead member for Housing, Councillor Ian Roberts, said: “These are positive times for council tenants in Wrexham. This is the third year in a row we have broken the record for investing in housing improvement work.
“Since 2013, we’ve spent close to £156.4m on the project. We’ve already installed around 9,000 new kitchens and 8,300 bathrooms since the project began, as well as thousands of other internal and external improvements. It’s allowing us to transform and modernize communities around the County Borough and ensure our tenants are able to live in properties which are safe, comfortable and fit for the future. The approved programme for 2017/18 is another huge step forward in ensuring we achieve the standard.”
Housing Capital Programme
The £56.4m Housing Capital Programme will be funded from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA), Revenue contribution, Capital Receipts from the sale of assets and Prudential Borrowing.
The Housing Revenue Account is ring-fenced, which means that no contribution can be made to or from the Council’s General Fund.
The funding also includes a £7.6m Major Repairs Allowance grant which the Welsh Government awards to local authorities to support them achieving the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.
Councillor Roberts continued: “We are trying to go the extra mile with the quality and the finish of the work being carried out. Tenants are able to choose from a range of designs for their new kitchens and bathrooms, including colours for tiles, worktops and kitchen units. We’ve also worked hard to ensure the external work we carry out is attractive as well as functional.
“We’re installing External Wall Insulation on all our non-traditional properties such as the steel framed houses in Cefn and Coedpoeth and it’s made such a difference to their appearance. The whole look of the streets has improved and the insulation is also helping to reduce fuel bills for homes which have historically been less efficient to heat than traditional brick insulated properties.”
Contractors who carry out housing improvement work are now required to contribute to the local economy through Community Benefit schemes. This can include taking on modern apprentices, employing a locally based workforce, purchasing supplies from local businesses and refurbishing community facilities.
Benefits achieved to date as a result of the schemes include:
- Over 60 Modern Apprentices taken on by contractors
- At least 70 employees have been given short or long term employment
- Over £63,000 has been donated as cash or in-kind to organisations or projects within Wales
Councillor Ian Roberts commented: “With such a huge investment being made it is vital that as much of this money as possible is pumped back into the local economy for the benefit of local businesses, community schemes and to create jobs and apprenticeships for our young people.”
Council tenants received a further boost last month when the Council approved an extra £1.3m of funding to bring vacant properties up to a higher standard before they are let out to new tenants.
The new standard will require all wallpaper to be stripped from the whole property, re-plastering where de-bonded or perished, skim all walls and ceilings and to decorate the whole property.
Councillor Ian Roberts said: “We are making improvements to our housing stock across the board which will benefit both our current and prospective tenants. The quality of the properties we can offer has improved dramatically over the last few years which is very encouraging to see. Council housing can now be a desirable and affordable option for anyone looking for a new home in the local area.”
Wrexham County Borough Council
www.facebook.com/wrexhamcouncil
