COUNCIL tenants in Leeds at the centre of a row when major improvements scheduled for their homes were cancelled are now in line to have the work done after all.
The Yorkshire Evening Post highlighted the plight of Christine Heseltine, who received a letter saying her Micklefield home was to be fitted with a new bathroom and kitchen.
She had got as far as choosing colours and being shown a design of the k
itchen. Then, the plug was pulled on the scheme by Aire Valley Homes, the arms-length management organisation (Almo) which runs council housing in south-east Leeds, because of a lack of funds.
It sparked claims from angry Labour councillors for the Kippax and Methley ward, which covers Micklefield, that the work on Mrs Heseltine's home and others was being cancelled while the city's three Almos were sitting on millions of pounds of reserves – a claim strongly denied by Aire Valley Homes.
But now bosses at Aire Valley say the organisation has "realigned funds" and is now looking to carry out improvement work to the properties of people who feared they would miss out. Up to 200 tenants could benefit.
Merran McRae, Aire Valley Homes chief executive, said today: " We understand the disappointment of the tenants who had expected work to be done on their homes, but following organisational changes and increased emphasis on tackling those homes that had failed the (Government's) decency standards, we were unable to proceed with the original plans.
Flexibility
" However, following discussions with Leeds City Council we can use greater flexibility with our funds so that we are able to bring more of these homes within our programme of work.
"All affected tenants will be visited by the end of July, and be given a clear idea of what work we can do, and by when."
Coun Peter Gruen (Lab, Cross Gates and Whinmoor), Aire Valley Homes chairman, rebutted claims that the organisation had been "sitting on" millions of pounds.
He said: "Aire Valley Homes has properly allocated all its funds to bring about substantial improvements for tenants and there is no pot of money sitting in reserves, waiting to be spent.
"Following this case we have been able to obtain greater flexibility from the council in how we can switch funds internally which is excellent news."
Mrs Heseltine told the YEP: "This sounds like great news. All I want them to do is what they promised."
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