SalfordOnline
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   165559.jpg','npics2','L-R%29+Chief+Executive+Kevin+Scarlett%2C+Safer+Neighbourhoods+Officer+Danielle+Sheldon%2C+Chair+Peter+Styche+OBE');)  Salix unlocks £9m to improve Salford homes
Residents in Salford will soon see £9m spent on improving their homes this year as the government gives the green light to Decent Homes funding. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has released £5m to the city council to help bring homes in central Salford and Swinton up to the government's Decent Homes Standard by 2015. The news comes after Salix Homes, which manages the city council's housing stock, achieved a two-star rating in its recent Audit Commission inspection. The rating means that Salix Homes has been given entry onto the government's decent homes programme giving it access to £70 million to improve homes and communities over the next five years. Now, £5m of that money has been brought forward to 2010/11 with an extra £4m being provided by the city council in the same period for Decent Homes investment. This will see work start on over 700 homes in Broughton, Irwell Riverside and Ordsall over the coming months. This year's investment is targeted on the following estates: - Ordsall Lane - Broadway - Lissadel Street - London Street - Racecourse - Regent Park - Spike Island - Duchy - Islington estate Another £15m of government funding is due to be released by the HCA over the next year when there will be consultations with residents from further estates in Swinton and central Salford (see notes for editors). In the recent inspection from the independent watchdog, Salix Homes' services were rated as 'good' with 'excellent prospects'. Inspectors visited neighbourhoods, spoke to residents and interviewed staff as part of the assessment process. The government’s Decent Homes funding is being made available over the next five years and further access to the money is expected to be confirmed by the HCA in stages. The Decent Homes programme has been developed with residents to ensure that investment is targeted initially in areas where it is most needed and causes minimum disruption. The government's standard requires properties to be warm, weatherproof and having reasonably modern facilities. Work to homes will include kitchen and bathroom refurbishments, doubled glazed windows, new doors, central heating and wall and loft insulations. Investment in homes in Pendleton is being delivered through a separate multi-million pound Private Finance Initiative project which is to start next year. Paul Walker, Salford City Council's strategic director for sustainable regeneration said: "This is excellent news and it means that we can restart work on delivering our Decent Homes programme, making real improvements to people's homes and their quality of life. "The Audit Commission's inspection measures housing services against national standards and its rating of Salix Homes as 'good' is confirmation that our tenants are getting quality housing services that meet people's needs. "The inspection results give Salford access to £70 million to improve homes and communities over the next five years and it will be put towards improvements for around 8,000 homes for local people." Kevin Scarlett, chief executive of Salix Homes said: "This is fantastic news for our customers and for their homes. "This is the first instalment of a £70 million contribution from the government in helping to make all council homes decent in central Salford, Beechfarm and Rainsough Brow by 2015. "Bringing forward some of the funding means we can start work on improving council homes right away”. Residents can visit the Salix Homes website (www.salixhomes.org) to find out more about the decent homes funding including how and when work will begin. Salford MP Hazel Blears said, "This is great news for Salix tenants and it will mean new bathrooms, kitchens, windows and improvements to our estates. It's what local people deserve and it's only happening because of the Government's commitment under the decent homes programme to raising housing standards." Source: Salford City Council Photo: (L-R) Chief Executive Kevin Scarlett, Safer Neighbourhoods Officer Danielle Sheldon, Chair Peter Styche OBE Due to problems with spam only SalfordOnline members can now leave comments. Becoming a member of SalfordOnline only takes a minute, just hit the red Join Us button at the top right hand side of the page to create your Personal account. Got a news story? Need help with publicity for an event in Salford? Send it to newsdesk@salfordonline.com or call the SalfordOnline newsdesk on 0161 789 5377. |
