£1.6 million to be spent on tackling 'concerning' home repairs backlog in Mid Suffolk and Babergh
It's hoped the money will ‘provide safe, warm, and dry homes for all tenants’
Last updated 9th Nov 2023
£1.6 million is to be spent tackling a home repairs backlog in Babergh and Mid Suffolk
The funding was unanimously approved yesterday by the Mid Suffolk and Babergh cabinets separately and is set to provide resources for 2,000 repairs.
Cllr Richard Winch, who brought the report to Mid Suffolk, said: “We need to do something for our tenants and we cannot carry on as we have.
“We realise it’s a big challenge, it’s going to take time and an awful lot of work, but it’s something we support.”
Broken down, it will amount to £672,000 and £943,000 which will be taken out of council reserves.
It's hoped the money will ‘provide safe, warm, and dry homes for all tenants’.
"Concerning"
The funding comes against the backdrop of an extensive backlog which Cllr Andrew Stringer referred to as ‘concerning’.
Cllr Rachel Eburne, a cabinet member in Mid Suffolk, added: “Tenants have been seriously let down by the previous administration who did not provide the resources and repairs in a timely manner.
“This will impact what we can invest in the housing stock in the next few years.”
The councils say the current backlog was, in large part, caused by the pandemic, when only emergency high-risk repairs were carried out.
In turn, this has led to resident satisfaction with the council’s housing stock being ‘miles away’ from the target.
Cllr Jessie Carter, a cabinet member in Babergh, said: “We must prioritise the needs and concerns of tenants – it is our responsibility to provide high-quality, safe, and secure housing for them.
“We want to address these problems urgently.”