Put It There Partner! - Setting The Standard For Wigan and Leigh Housing

Photocall - Photographers/reporters are invited to the signing of the Decent Homes Partnership agreement at Wigan Investment Centre, Waterside Drive, at 9.30am on Thursday April 29.

Housing chiefs will cement their relationship with building contractors to celebrate a cash boost to improve the standards of council housing across the borough.

Wigan & Leigh Housing (WALH), recently received £79m to bring council homes up to the government's 'decency standard'. The cash is the second instalment of government funds for WALH - the arms length management company with responsibility for the council's housing stock. It means the total investment in council housing will be more than £250m over five years. This is extra good news for tenants because the improvements will have no effect on rent.

WALH's chief executive Peter Gee said: "We are delighted to enter into long term partnering agreements with the contractors who are delivering the improvements for us.

"Already they have made a tremendous impact in the first year of improvements and now that the additional resources have been obtained we can sign up to the full five year programme."

All council tenants in the borough will get a copy of the programme showing when work will start in individual areas.

-ends-