Fife Council has unanimously approved its housing budget for 2009-10. Council tenants in Fife will see their rents rise by just 4% next year, one of the lowest rent increases in Scotland, and charges for lock-ups and garden maintenance frozen at last year's rate.

Cllr Brian Goodall, Chair of the housing and communities committee oversaw the approval of an £82m budget for 2009-10.

He said: "This is a very fair budget which will see £53m invested in housing over the coming year and an additional £7m per year over the next 5 years, to fund any future new policy decisions such as new build housing, sustainable development and renewable energy options for tenants.

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"The fact that all parties approved this budget gives us a good platform from which to go forward on."

Cllr Goodall continued: "At our tenants' conference last November we consulted with tenants' representatives on rent increases for the coming year. The general consensus was that 4% would be much more affordable than the 6% which would have been the standard increase. We've applied the same increase to heating charges, where this is provided by the Council.

"We're very aware that our tenants are being affected by the economic recession and we want to do everything we can to help them minimise their outgoings. The average council rent for a two-bedroomed house will rise by £1.94 a week. This represents very good value when you consider the Council is a fair and responsible landlord, the quality of our housing stock, our repairs service and the upgrading work we are carrying out."

(CD/JM)