An agreed Capital Programme will see over £40m invested in existing council owned housing stock over the next five years.

At the end of February, the council’s Executive Committee approved a 30-year Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan and Housing Asset Management Strategy with a five-year Capital Investment Programme to deliver this.

The Asset Management Strategy aims to provide properties that have modern facilities, which are safe, compliant, and warm, and the Capital Investment Programme put forward will see more than £40 million invested in existing council owned housing stock to make this a reality.

The plan is delivered within a balanced budget allowing the Council to undertake its responsibilities to manage, maintain and improve council housing stock in Redditch and provide essential upgrades to tenants’ homes.

This investment will include, but is not limited to:

• £12.5m in new kitchens, bathrooms, electrical wiring, and heating upgrades
• £3.85m on boiler changes of which over 700 old inefficient boilers have already been replaced with modern energy efficient models
• £3.75m on energy efficiency measures including loft, cavity wall and external wall insulation measures
• £2.8m on new roofs, doors, and windows
• £2.25m on upgrading fire prevention measures, including new fire doors
• £1.75m on aids and adaptations to create options for tenants to continue living independently
• £1.9m on environmental improvements such as fencing, brick walls, paths, estate parking and paving
• £1.1m on smoke detection upgrades
• As well as several other smaller projects such as balcony replacements, electrical and security upgrades.

Portfolio Holder for Housing, Cllr Craig Warhurst, said: “This is one of the biggest injections of cash our council housing stock has seen for many years and these works are a priority for this administration. This plan is essential, not just to improve the quality of our properties but for the health and wellbeing of our tenants.

“For a considerable period of time, our teams were unable to legally do much work on our housing stock. This investment is now key in overcoming the significant hurdles brought about by the lingering after-effects of the pandemic.

“More than that though, with this project we are going above and beyond our regulatory requirements, like gas and electrical inspections, fulfilling our strategic promises to help our residents to live independent, active, and healthy lives. There will be lots happening within a short amount of time, so we need our tenants to work with us so we, and our contractors, can make it happen.”

In order for the programme to be successfully rolled out, tenants are being urged to let contractors and workers into their properties once notified by letter and upon presentation of official ID. If residents are concerned about scams, all of our staff and contractors will happily let them confirm their ID by calling the main council number.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Matt Dormer, said: “I am extremely proud of the decision made by the Executive Committee to support this multimillion-pound investment, which will drastically improve the quality of life of so many of our tenants. Whether in the form of a new bathroom, a warmer more energy efficient property or adaptation opportunities allowing our tenants to remain in the place they call home for longer, substantial changes are on the horizon”.

The council will be providing updates on the programme on its social media platforms and website and contacting tenants directly where works are planned.