The Highland Council is to invest more than £6 million into improving council homes in Ross-shire over the next two years.

Members of the council’s Ross and Cromarty committee have agreed a two year Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme that will also see a further £520,000 spent specifically on providing aids and adaptations to assist tenants requiring extra support.

The council is responsible for maintaining 3780 residential properties across the Ross and Cromarty wards. During 2019/20, £3,387,433 will be used to carry out upgrade works, including: replacing kitchens, bathrooms, windows and doors as well as structural work to roofs, chimneys and the external fabric of properties.

Money will also be used to carry out heating and energy efficiency work in line with the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing. For the period 2020/21 the investment will rise to £3,556,651. This is part of the wider Highland Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme.

Chair of the committee, Cllr Fiona Robertson, said: “As councillors we are only too aware that much of our housing stock is in need of investment. A key feature of developing this programme of works for the next two years has been identifying priorities so we can allocate funds to specific projects where the need to make improvements is the greatest. I would like to thank my fellow councillors for their input in setting these priorities and our maintenance teams and tenants for their assistance too.

“I am particularly pleased that funding continues to be ring-fenced for equipment and adaptations to allow disabled and elderly tenants to stay living in their homes.

“As a committee we look forward to regular updates on how the works are progressing and hearing about the positive impacts the improvements will bring to our tenants.”