If agreed, £317.176 million will be spent over the next five years to deliver an ambitious Housing Investment Programme. This includes £187.89m to improve the quality of existing homes through energy efficiency measures such as new windows and doors and replacement heating systems and renewable energy supplies and £128m to build and buy around 700 additional affordable homes through the Council New Build Programme and the Buy Back Scheme.

In 2024/25 alone:

• £37.14m is proposed to improve the current housing stock of around 17,000 homes.
• £12.6m to build a range of new homes including wheelchair accessible home and family homes across three key sites at Woodend Farm, Haugh Gardens, Langlees and Oakbank, Polmont
• £8.5m to purchase 80 ex-local authority homes through the council’s Buy Back Scheme

Council rents could increase by 5.0% from 1 April for the council’s 16,200 tenants (or an average of £3.05 per week with an average rent of £74.92 per week). More than 60% of all tenants will be fully protected from any increase due to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit protection.

The Housing Investment Programme and Housing Revenue Account is entirely separate from the council’s other budgets. Revenue raised by rents and grants can only be reinvested in housing programmes and in no other aspect of council services.

Kenny Gillespie, head of housing and communities, said: “This report outlines the key priorities for the next five years and proposes significant expenditure to uphold the quality and energy efficiency standards of our housing stock and meet the needs of our tenants.

“It is for elected members to agree the levels of investment and the proposed rent increase at the full council meeting on the 31 January.”