Over £7m will be invested in the Clackmannanshire's Council housing during the forthcoming financial year.

The significant expenditure was agreed at yesterday's Council meeting, when councillors also agreed a rent rise of 4.5% for 2009/10.

The rise means that the average rent in Clackmannanshire is now £53.86, an increase of £2.32.

Councillor Sam Ovens, Regeneration Portfolio Holder, said: "Following extensive consultation with tenants, we agreed to raise rents by 2% plus inflation annually in order to achieve the Clackmannanshire Standard. The inflationary rate used for budget setting is usually the September figure, which was 5.5%. However, we acknowledge that inflation has been falling monthly, so this year's rent increase will be based on a rate of 2.5%.

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"This rent rise will allow us to continue to being real benefits to tenants. Over the past three years, we have invested over £24 million in our houses - a record investment for the Council. Our programme to upgrade and replace doors is complete and by this time next year we will have completed the kitchen replacement programme. Our focus will then be on bathrooms."

A report detailing the Council's plans to improve the local housing stock throughout the county came before councillors. In finalising spending plans every effort has been made to effectively target resources to the priorities established through detailed consultation with tenants.

The 2008/09 capital programme saw over £8m being invested in the local housing stock with: 916 new kitchens installed, 457 new bathrooms installed, 53 new doors installed and 199 new central heating systems installed.

The 2009/10 capital programme will see 373 new kitchens and 521 new bathrooms installed as well as 100 new central heating systems put in.

Disabled adaptations and conversions, though not part of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard, are key to enabling people to remain in their homes and £440,000 has been allocated for this in 2009/10.

Head of Housing, Property and Benefit Advice John Gillespie said: "The agreed investment enables the service to meet the rising expectations of our tenants. This budget allows us to build on the major improvements to housing services as well as the stock."

(GK/JM)