£40m given to council to improve homes (From Sutton Guardian)

Sutton housing set to get £40m refit

5:00pm Thursday 11th October 2012 in News By James Pepper

Forty million pounds will be spent on bringing the boroughs council houses up to scratch.

Over the next two years, £40m of grant funding will be received by Sutton council from the Decent Homes Fund and will be used to improve kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors and central heating systems.

The funding forms part of an ongoing programme of improvements which will see over £100m of investment injected into the borough.

Councillor Jayne McCoy, chairwoman of the housing, economy and business committee said: "The funding being invested is allowing us to make a positive impact on thousands of people’s lives across our borough. As a council we strived to maximise the level of funding we received to ensure that all homes that need improvements, get the work."

"A great deal of improvements have already been put in place, but now we must ensure the remaining funds also make a difference and improve other homes across Sutton."

Andrew Taylor, chief executive of Sutton Housing Partnership, which manages the borough's council houses, said: "This is great news. In these difficult financial times, it's important to have certainty about future funding.

Not only will a large number of properties be improved, but we can invest in the wider communities and promote employment through offering local apprenticeships with our contractors."

About 2,200 kitchens and bathrooms, 1,700 central heating systems have replaced 2,500 properties windows and doors.

Balaam House, one of the council’s two tower blocks is currently being refurbished. Work on the other block, Chaucer House, will commence next year.

Linda Clarke, 52, and her husband Anthony, 68, of Thomas Wall Close, Sutton are one household who have already benefited from improvements and say the work has changed their lives.

Linda said: "My husband suffers from back and leg problems due to Osteoarthritis and got stuck in our old bath. We’ve had a new walk-in shower fitted in our bathroom which has made all the difference, as well as a number of improvements made to our kitchen."

The council owns 6,300 homes across the borough, all of which are managed in partnership by the Sutton Housing Partnership.

In addition, there are nearly 1,400 leasehold flats and maisonettes.