£159m boost to council homes over the next 5 years proposed

Powys County Council has announced an investment of more than £159 million over the next five years for new council homes and improvements to existing council homes.

The council's Housing Business Plan, which sets out the investment, will be considered by the Cabinet on March 28, 2023.

The Housing Business Plan sets out to build more than 310 new council homes by 2027-28, as part of an investment package worth almost £79 million. The plan also includes an investment worth more than £31 million over the next five years in the council's existing homes to meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

The plan also includes four other programs of work, including Compliance One Hundred, Green Powys, Fit for Life, and Love Where You Live. The Compliance One Hundred program will cost more than £9.3 million, the Green Powys program more than £15.6 million, the Fit for Life program more than £6.8 million, and the Love Where You Live program more than £7.9 million.

Cllr Matthew Dorrance, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys, said the plan would help tackle the housing emergency in the county by building high-quality council homes. The plan pledges continued investment in the council's existing homes to ensure they meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard. Additionally, the plan aims to make council homes more energy efficient and environmentally friendly for tenants.

He said:

"This ambitious plan will help to tackle the housing emergency in the county by building high-quality council homes,"

"At Home in Powys puts in place the money needed to make our homes more energy-efficient for our tenants – tackling fuel poverty and ensuring council homes are doing their bit to tackle climate change. This plan will help build a stronger, fairer, greener future for Powys."