THOUSANDS of council houses across Barnsley were repaired last year as part of a multi-million pound scheme to drive up standards.
Berneslai Homes’ condition checks on its 18,000-strong property portfolio resulted in £11.5m being spent on a total of 76,816 day-to-day repairs.
More serious cases such as mould and damp - of which 3,833 jobs were carried out - were also completed in 2023/24.
As well as key repair work, wall insulation, replacement boilers, energy-efficient lighting, loft insulation and modern doors and windows were fitted.
Almost 300 new kitchens were added, as were 40 new bathrooms, helping the council’s social housing firm to bag a 98.3 per cent tenant satisfaction score of an end-of-year survey.
A Berneslai Homes spokesperson said: “The most important service for tenants is repairs and investment and nearly 77,000 repairs were completed during the year.
“With 1,000 homes having additional energy efficiency works, tenants are benefiting from reduced energy usage and cash savings.
“A further 1,275 homes had investment works of £11.4m and 1,345 tenants benefited from adaptations to their homes.
“Reacting to responsive repairs is an important part of the service.
“One of the most important services we provide is the repairs and improvements service, where we continue to spend a large proportion of our budget, in line with agreed priorities.”
A total of 1,345 tenants had their homes adapted in the 12-month period, with 920 classed as ‘minor’ alterations and 425 benefiting from major work such as ramps and level-access shower rooms.
Three high-rise tower blocks - Buckley, Britannia and Albion House - were also allocated £250,000 after surveys found wall ties, which effectively glue together brickwork and internal construction, as they required replacing.
“It is important that Berneslai Homes offers value for money, and we work hard to manage our finances carefully,” the spokesperson added.
“Value for money is embedded in everything we do.
“Obtaining the best outcome for tenants within available resources is the key to achieving value for money.”
The council are also working hard to ensure the housing stock can get to energy performance certificate (EPC) C by 2030 - both the council and government target.
Though it’s expected that this will cost around £58m.
Coun Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture, added: “This is about protecting the long-term future of council housing in Barnsley, ensuring we get investment in our stock, delivering the repairs and management support tenants require of us, and the longer-term financial stability that we need.
“Living in a warm, safe home is essential for staying healthy and well, and this is something that every resident in Barnsley should have access to.”
