£2.5m to improve private housing

Drive goes on as cash pot is slashed

MORE than 650 private homes will benefit from £2.5 million of investment through Oldham Council’s drive to improve housing — despite a grant allocation being slashed.

The authority aims to improve housing conditions across the borough and will use the funding to bring empty homes back into use, repair and decorate properties and provide disabled facilities.

The proposals come despite a cut of nearly £700,000 in the grant allocation from the North-West’s overall pot of money — which council chiefs are battling to get back.

The council had been allocated just over £3.2 million from 4NW, a board responsible for dishing out money to local authorities for housing initiatives, and was also in line for a further £386,000. But it’s now been told it will only receive £2.565 million.

To add to the upset, within Greater Manchester only one other local authority has also had a reduction in funding with seven getting an increase and one staying the same.

The Private Sector Housing Capital Programme drawn up to allocate the money will go before Cabinet for approval on Wednesday when councillors will also be asked to challenge the accuracy of Oldham’s allocation.

More than 200 empty homes were brought back into use last year.

One hundred properties in Derker and Werneth will also benefit from a major facelift scheme and Glodwick will see 47 homes improved.

Seventy homes will get disabled facilities, while energy efficiency measures such as Warm Front grants will continue to be supported. Landlords renting out private properties will be offered incentives of up to £500 to carry out minor repairs.

Councillor John McCann, cabinet member for community services and housing, said: “We cover a variety of schemes from small improvements to large scale renewal and it all plays a vital role in keeping a supply of good homes available for our citizens.

“We are still fighting for more money from the regional pot.”