Over £225 million is to be invested in Fife’s council homes over the next three years to ensure the local authority continues to reach the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS).

Councillors on Fife Council’s executive committee heard that every council home is now fully compliant with the SHQS and that the investment is aimed to make sure they maintain this standard, as well as helping to deliver the new Energy Efficient Standard for Social Housing (EESSH).

Improvements will include new bathrooms and kitchens, the replacement of doors and windows and new central heating systems.

Maintenance has already been carried out to roofs, door entry systems, roughcast, heating and electrical systems. Energy efficiency works have also been completed.

Councillor Judy Hamilton, executive spokesperson for housing and building services, said she is delighted that this significant target has been met by the council.

She added: “We invested over £70m last year to make this happen. These improvements are funded from rent money raised from our tenants and we talk and listen to our tenants to ensure that we are delivering on their priorities. We’re proud of the progress being made here in Fife and these improvements will make real differences for tenants across Fife as well as allow us to offer warmer, drier, healthier homes.”

Over £76m will be spent on wider investment works next year including major improvements to Retirement Housing in Cardenden and Lochgelly.

Work to ensure all houses continue to be of the highest quality and meet new energy efficiency standards will mean just over £28m is spent on further improvements. It’s estimated that around 85 per cent of the council’s homes currently meet the new energy efficiency standards.

Councillor Judy Hamilton added: “We have talked and listened to our tenants and we have delivered on their priorities, whilst ensuring that all our homes now meet the Scottish Quality Standard. However to keep improving the quality of our council housing, the investment continues. This investment is good news for our tenants and good news for the council.”