Homes hand-over starts £100 million improvements

Improvements to 6,000 Council homes in south Manchester costing more than £100 million began yesterday (26 November 2007) as a housing trust took over their management from Manchester City Council.

Tenants voted in favour of the transfer of homes in Burnage, Chorlton Park, Didsbury East and West, Old Moat and Withington to Southway Housing Trust.

Councillor Eddy Newman, Manchester City Council's Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services, handed over ownership of the homes at a celebration event at Chorlton Golf Club.

And on the same day, work started officially at a house in Withington, where the windows were replaced.

The programme of work will see all Southway tenants receiving major improvements to their homes within two years.

Councillor Eddy Newman said: "Manchester City Council is handing over ownership of these homes to Southway in the confident knowledge that not only will tenants get a socially responsible landlord but that they will also receive improvements to their homes that they never could have benefited from had they remained with the Council.

"There will also be environmental improvements as well as economic and community benefits as Southway will be sponsoring a number of local apprenticeships offering jobs and training to the local community."

Jan Maughan, a local tenant and chair of the board of Southway Housing Trust, said: "It is very exciting to be able to begin this important work that will provide major improvements to people's homes in the area.

"The tenants in this area deserve a brighter future - with the work to homes and the environment and with the benefits to the community through jobs and training, we can look forward to exciting times in the years to come."

Improvement work on the 6,000 homes will include:

• New uPVC double-glazed windows
• External front and back doors if needed
• Fitted kitchens - if over five years old
• New bathroom suites, including a shower over the bath
• Rewiring where required
• Upgraded heating systems where necessary

Many homes will also benefit from other work needed to bring them up to modern standards, such as structural repairs, re-roofing, security lighting and cavity wall insulation.

Media contacts:

Juliet Appleby, tel: 0161 234 3237

Martin Hellewell, tel:0161 234 3729