Birmingham council housing to get £58 million boost
Birmingham City Council is set to approve a £58 million programme of investment into its stock of council properties at Cabinet on Monday 16 February.
As part of the ongoing investment, around 6,200 homes are earmarked to get new kitchens and bathrooms, upgraded central heating systems and door, window and roof replacements during 2015/16. Residents in flats and maisonettes will also get new eco heating, lift refurbishments, replacement tower block roofs and electrical rewiring in communal areas.
The investment programme follows the approval in December of a five year plan to build over 2,000 new homes by the council’s house-building arm, the Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust (BMHT), three quarters of which will be new council homes.
Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council, Cllr Ian Ward, said: “We currently own and manage around 64,000 properties and have made substantial improvements over the last few years. In fact last year’s programme has delivered new central heating and systems to around 700 more households than were originally identified.
“This latest programme will see better quality housing for thousands more of our residents which will clearly help to improve their quality of life and their health. The replacement of older heating systems with new condensing boilers and other energy efficiency measures will also help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and take more local people out of fuel poverty.â€
The Birmingham Council Housing Investment Programme for 2015/16 covers work to the cost of £58.35 million within a total Housing Investment Capital fund budget of £100.081 million including clearance and redevelopment costs. Money will also be allocated to District Committees to support environmental improvements at a local level.
To ensure future investment continues, Cabinet is also set to approve a 2.2% rise in council housing rent - on average this will be an extra £1.78 a week.   This was determined in line with national policy using the consumer price index +1% and will ensure that our long term investment plans including the building of new homes can be funded. The council will support tenants in maximising any housing benefit entitlement.
For the full report see Birmingham.gov.uk/democracy
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