A MULTI-MILLION pound housing improvement package will see hundreds of council homes across Barnsley receive a raft of work, according to ambitious plans.
It forms part of the council’s five-year £129m capital investment programme and a total of £5.87m is available to be spent in 2020/21 after ruling cabinet members opted to approve the latest strand on Wednesday.
More than £2.4m has been earmarked to fund ‘major adaptations’ to homes lived in by tenants with special needs, with more than £1m allocated for heating work and almost £1.7m for ‘one-off’ structural changes.
Houses in Kendray will benefit most over the period, with 295 earmarked for work, as well as 294 in Wombwell, 195 in Kexbrough, 162 in Darton, 141 in Penistone, 99 in Barnsley West which includes Hoylandswaine, 85 in Great Houghton and 71 in Goldthorpe.
A cabinet report said: “The population in Barnsley is aging and tenants are living longer so as a consequence, the number of adaptation requests is rising, which are responsive and reactive in nature.
“Where appropriate, the proposed budget is also used to build a small number of extensions to properties where tenants cannot be re-housed to more suitable accommodation.
“The works programme enables council tenants to live in homes that are safe, good quality, are maintained and at an affordable social rent.”
Re-roofing, subsidence underpinning, heating improvements and remedial work to rectify damp issues form the majority of the scheme, but up to 860 disabled tenants’ homes are also in line for level access showers, entrance ramps, stair lifts and ceiling hoists.
Coun Alan Gardiner, cabinet spokesperson for core services, said: “We’re committed to providing better housing to meet existing and future needs in Barnsley.
“This gives Berneslai Homes the money to provide a high-quality service to people who live in our properties.
“We’ll continue to work with Berneslai Homes to support their service and help make Barnsley a better place for our residents and their families to live and work.”
