Council-Owned Flats to Undergo £1.3m in Repairs

At a recent housing scrutiny committee meeting, officials confirmed that the repair work is scheduled to begin in April and is expected to take around six months to complete.

Labour councillor Richard Swift expressed surprise at the 40% increase in projected costs. In response, officials explained that the £1.3m bid was selected based on a quality assessment of the proposals received, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Addressing concerns about leaseholder contributions, Labour councillor Jenny Gawthrope Wood questioned whether payment plans would be available to help leaseholders manage their share of the costs. Council officers reassured the committee that leaseholders had been aware of the project for several years and would not be required to make payments until the work was completed. They also stated that individual circumstances would be taken into account, and payment agreements could be arranged if necessary.

Tenant representative Diane Best raised concerns about previous balcony repairs and whether leaseholders would be charged again for the same work. Officials clarified that while resurfacing work had been carried out around a decade ago, ongoing building movement had since led to leaks in some balconies. As a result, leaseholders are expected to contribute to further repairs caused by these structural shifts.