Money Matters Value for Money in 2011-12 The Housing Budget and how it performed Some snapshots from the housing budget 2011/12: About £4 million spent on repairs and maintenance About £5 million spent on Decent Homes improvements and major works and other essential works
such as asbestos removal About £600,000 spent on Disabled Facilities Works to Council properties About £4.6 million spent on capital financing (making loan payments)
Meeting the Decent Homes Standard The key requirement for the Council has been investing in the housing stock to maintain the Decent Homes Standard. Future programmes will ensure homes are kept to the decent homes standard. The four improvement programmes are: Replacement Kitchens – we
replaced 292 kitchens Electrical upgrading – we carried
out 734 electrical upgrades Gas Central Heating – we upgraded
372 central heating systems External Envelope – we carried
out external improvements to 593 properties By using partnering approach for major contracts we saved 10% on kitchen/ bathroom contract after market testing.
Surplus Stock When less popular one bedroom bungalows built before 1970 become vacant they are assessed to find out the cost to maintain the property over the next 10 years. The most expensive are put up for sale through a local estate agent. The funds raised from the sale of the bungalows has been used for the provision of additional homes through Housing Associations across the district.
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