Improvements to council housing stock in Perth & Kinross worth millions of pounds are to be carried out over the next five years.

Details of the investment are to be outlined at a meeting of the Housing and Health Committee on Wednesday 6 February.

Work carried out on council houses between 2013-18 will include:

- Central heating renewal - £13.7m

- Double glazing - £6m

- Installation of controlled door entry systems - £1.4m

- New kitchens and bathrooms - £1.1m

- External fabric works - £8.4m

- Energy efficiency work - £6.2m

- Multi-story flat improvement works - £2.4m

A new rent strategy will also be discussed, which would amount to an average weekly rent increase of £2.41 a week, giving an average weekly rent of £59.77.

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This, according to Perth & Kinross Council, would keep the area’s rent levels well below the Scottish national average, and would result in the 11th lowest rent levels in Scotland.

Housing and Health Convener, Councillor Dave Doogan, said: "In 2003 the Council adopted a 'Retention Plus' strategy after tenants voted to retain the Council as their landlord on the condition that improvement would be carried out to the housing stock.

"The Council has a 30-year Standard Delivery Plan (SDP) which forms the basis of our proposals to make sure our Council houses comply with the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by 2015, which we are on track to achieve.

"The SDP has already allowed us to invest in major improvement schemes including refurbishing bathrooms, replacing kitchens, and installing central heating systems.

"Each year our business plan is updated in line with budgets and economic conditions to make sure the SDP remains affordable and sustainable. These new rent proposals will allow us to continue to both deliver improvements for our tenants and ensure that rents remain affordable in Perth and Kinross.

"It will also allow us to commit to providing much-needed new build Council housing for people in Perth and Kinross who are in urgent need of accommodation, and sustain our level of investment in a range of other housing services our residents want and need."

(IT)