One in every four council homes across West Lancashire are set to be improved as part of a £8 million Conservative investment plan.
The Conservative Group on West Lancashire Borough Council unveiled a wide ranging programme in its budget which will see improvements to more than 1,800 homes.
Among the investments announced by the Conservative Group were:
- Replacement of single glazed windows and doors at properties in Haskayne, Stanley Court in Burscough, Parbold, Old Skelmersdale, Birch Green, Digmoor, Little Digmoor and Tanhouse;
- New boiler replacements in Ormskirk and the installation of gas boilers in Old Skelmersdale, Birch Green, Little Digmoor, flats in Holland Moor 1 &2 and flats in Clay Brow;
- Installation of air source heat pumps in Oakgate Close bungalows, Tarleton; Heyescroft, Bickerstaffe and Aspen Way, Old Skelmersdale;
- Improvements to sheltered schemes at Hall Green, Up Holland, and Queens Court, Ormskirk.
There will also be a pilot green energy scheme at Whitburn and Waverley in Old Skelmersdale, following on from the installation of new roofing, windows and insulation which has already taken place there.
Conservative housing spokesman Cllr Val Hopley said: "These investments will ensure that the service we provide to tenants across West Lancashire continues to improve. The emphasis on energy efficiency is important as it will ensure that our tenants will feel warmer, more secure and see reduced fuel costs. According to the Office for National Statistics, there are more than 20,000 winter related deaths every year.
"I was also pleased to announce the fact we are contributing a further £50,000 to the Environmental Works budget. This scheme is run by tenants, for tenants and gives them the ability to bid for environmental improvements, on council owned land within their neighbourhoods. In addition, we are also proposing a contribution of £100,000 to the Transfer Incentive Scheme, freeing up much needed family accommodation for people on the waiting list.
"These are exciting and interesting times and I would like thank tenants for their hard work and commitment in helping us to improve services."
Conservative housing finance spokesman Cllr Adrian Owens said: "This package of improvements from this Conservative-controlled council demonstrates our committment to tenants, even in tough times. Through careful management of West Lancashire taxpayers' hard earned money, we are able to invest. Had we listened to Labour, we would not have been able to do this as the cupboard would have been bare.
"Instead, we have been able to deliver 17 new council homes in Elmstead - the first for 15 years - and have also unveiled ambitious plans for Firbeck and Findon in addition to the planned improvements set out in our budget."
The investments have been welcomed by local community campaigners and councillors.
Burscough East Conservative Cllr George Pratt said: "Residents in Stanley Court will be delighted at these improvements delivered by this Conservative council. Replacing the single glazed windows and doors will mean more fuel efficiency which will hopefully cut down on utility bills."
Community campaigner Cindy Miller, the Conservative candidate for Moorside, said: "I welcome the fact this Conservative council is investing around £240,000 in replacing storage heaters with gas boilers in almost 100 flats across Moorside. The old storage heaters are not efficient and by replacing them with gas boilers, it will keep families warm in a cost effective way."
This was announced on the same night that the authority froze Council Tax for the third year running, announced £250,000 for extra CCTV provision, £172,000 for estate remodelling and an extension of the Borough's popular free tree scheme.