The Committee considered a report that set out the maintenance work programme for Council Homes for 2025/26. The following documents were appended to the report:

Appendix 1: Works to Housing Stock 2025-2026 Housing Revenue Account (HRA)

Appendix 2: Works to Housing Stock 2025-2026 (General Fund)

Appendix 3: Works to Housing Stock by Ward 2025-2026

The report explained that Housing Property Services had a responsibility to ensure that the housing stock was well maintained in accordance with the Decent Homes Standard and that Council homes were safe and healthy places to live in. The Service also worked to improve the wider environment on housing estates to meet the needs and aspirations of both the Council and its tenants.

The report added that the Service continued to have a strong focus on improving the thermal efficiency of homes in line with the Council’s Climate Change ambitions ensuring homes could be heated efficiently and cost effectively, thus reducing their carbon footprint and reducing fuel poverty. As a result, the Council was intending to invest £9.9m in 2025/26 in moving towards zero carbon options in terms of retrofitting existing housing stock in line with the Council’s Climate Change ambitions. All options for new funding streams for further thermal efficiencies were considered as and when they were launched.

Resolved -

(1)        That the planned maintenance work programme for Council Homes for 2025/26 be noted;

(2)        That the Executive Director of Communities and Adult Social Care be authorised, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Housing, to: (a) tender; and (b) enter into all necessary contracts for individual schemes that began within the 2025/26 work programme as set out in Appendix 1 & 2 of the report subject to sufficient funding being available in the approved Budget (£30.1m) to meet the cost of the schemes.