Swindon council commits £250m over five years to improve council homes, focusing on maintenance and upgrades.
Cabinet members approved these plans on February 12. The money will fund maintenance and major refurbishment work. Properties in Railway Village and six high-rise blocks in Swindon will receive investment, keeping them in good shape.
Homes needing the most help will get an annual program. This will refresh bathrooms and heating systems. Kitchens, roofs, windows, and doors will also be improved, along with important maintenance work. This ensures healthy, safe, and secure homes for both current and future tenants.
The council owns and manages 10,383 homes in total. This includes 31 sheltered housing schemes and four supported housing schemes. Therefore, the council is the area’s largest social housing provider.
The new strategy addresses rising maintenance needs in older, post-war homes. Councillor Janine Howarth said tenants deserve safe homes, noting a past lack of investment which the council aims to fix.
The plan explicitly addresses unacceptable housing conditions. It details how improvements will be made over the next five years. Faults in Railway Village and high-rises, areas suffering from past underinvestment, will receive attention.
The council will invest £250m in social housing. This supports housing improvements for five years, which is 78% more than the past five years.
The council plans some borrowing, up to £152m by 2030. This helps fund the total investment planned, with the Housing Revenue Account supplying the remaining funds that manages council-owned properties’ budget.