The local authority’s planned stock improvement investment is £2 million behind schedule for the year, largely due to the lockdown.

Councillor Beth Whiteside highlighted the “quite significant underspend” in housing repairs and maintenance at the council’s policy and resources committee this week.

A revenues report presented at the meeting revealed a £2.2m savings figure in respect of repair delays, The Courier has reported.

Finance director Ian Lorimer said getting work back on track is a priority now that restrictions have eased, but warned that the backlog will take time to clear.

“We are in discussion with contractors in trying to accelerate the programmes,” he said.

“But there has to be a degree of realism as to how far we can take that.”

Councillors heard that in some cases, handy tenants or relatives had carried out repairs in the absence of council contractors.

The three-year responsive repairs and change of tenancy works contract involves Derek McNulty Ltd for the Arbroath, Carnoustie & Monifieth areas, and MPS Housing Ltd for the Montrose, Brechin, Forfar and Kirriemuir areas.