Major decision to approve spending of £0.5billion on improving Sheffield council homes
Major areas of investment will include £93.4m on replacing roofs on homes that need the work
A major investment in Sheffield council homes worth more than £552m is planned over the next five years.
Major areas of investment will include £93.4m on replacing roofs on homes that need the work, including the installation of solar photovoltaic panels to around 60 flat blocks.
That budget will also be spent on replacing kitchens and bathrooms,
including required boiler upgrades and electrical system upgrades, director of housing James Clark told Sheffield City Council’s strategy and resources committee on Wednesday (January 21).
Urgent renewals and essential replacements for the District Heating service will cost £59,302,000 over five years. This will help to improve ageing infrastructure and help avoid and protect against future system failures, said a report to the committee.
Several tower blocks have lost their heating and hot water because of various system failures over the past two months.
Another £22,537,000 will fund the replacement of communal lifts and
complex electrical equipment such as lightning protections.
The bill for fire safety work is estimated at £43,255,000. This will cover fire door safety enhancements including inspections, replacement and upgrades of fire doors in communal areas and individual flats to ensure compliance with
current fire safety standards and regulations.
There will also be fire safety refurbishment at 20 dual staircase tower blocks.
Adaptations and accessibility works for peole with disabilities and older tenants will cost £20,592,000. Work to deliver better insulation and energy efficiency of homes will total £51,541,000.
Another £24,862,000 has been pledged for the regeneration of homes in the Gleadless Valley and improved roofing, walkways and staircases for Edward Street flats in the city centre.
Environmental improvements for council estates will cost £5,653,000.
Mr Clark told the committee that investment in council homes will ensure that the city’s 38,000 tenants have warm, safe homes in good repair.
The budget for repairs will be increased by £2m for 2026/27 and another £8.3m will be contributed to the capital programme.
As previously reported, council tenants can expect to pay an extra 4.8% plus £2 a week for their rent, under a new formula for social housing landlords being proposed by the government.
Other charges set to increase from April 2026 are:
- Garage rents for garage plots and sites rising by 4.8%
- Weekly district heating standing charge going from £4.90 to £5.50
- Sheltered housing service charge, burglar alarm charge and furnished accommodation charge all rising by 3.8%
Mr Clark welcomed the government’s decision to announce 10-year plans for government funding and extra increases. However, £20.9m pressures still remain on the council’s housing budget, meaning that savings must still be made.
Outlining the national context, he said cost pressures include increased demand for repairs and services, new regulations including Awaab’s Law and rules for social landlords. The cost-of-living crisis continues to impact on people’s housing circumstances, including homelessness, and councils need to invest in housing stock and tackle climate change.
Housing committee chair Coun Douglas Johnson said the committee’s work over the past two years has been focused on the repairs service, voids – reducing the time when homes are empty after tenants move out to maximise rental income – and investments.
He said that work is now paying off with real results.
Coun Johnson said “big money” is being invested to save over the long term. “The people who live in our homes deserve to have good, decent, safe, warm homes and largely we’re getting there.
“We constantly have an issue of responding to issues where we don’t get that right, which is why that investment is important.”
Deputy council leader and Labour housing spokesperson Coun Fran Belbin said: “For several years as councillors we have been asking the question ‘we’re going over budget constantly on responsive repairs, where’s the investment to reverse that trend’?”
She said that transformation work is already paying off but there is still a long way to go. Using housing revenue carefully and making improvements that will save money is vital to deliver decent services for tenants and customers.
Coun Kurtis Crossthorn said it is refreshing that the council is being honest about the need to spend more money on repairs. He welcomed the £2m repairs budget increase but said housing staff should be asked where repairs service systems aren’t working because there are still issues to tackle and they understand the problems best.
Coun Joe Otten stressed the need to maintain a balance between investing in the current housing stock and increasing the number of new homes that the council plans to build.
Council leader and committee chair Coun Tom Hunt said: “Look at the way in which we will be replacing roofs, ramps, stairlifts, floor lifts to support older and disabled council tenants to remain in their homes, replacing kitchens and bathrooms, fire safety upgrades and many more including installing solar panels on the roofs of 60 flat blocks.
“These will make a real difference to the lives of many of our tenants and it is to be welcomed that the business plan sets out an investment programme of £552m over five years, supported by the 10-year rent assessment, that as James mentioned is a very welcome change from the government, alongside changes to the right to buy.”
He said that the government has brought in £39bn spending on social and affordable homes to alleviate some of the pressure caused by the lack of affordable homes.
The council is also partnering with social landlords to create more affordable homes, he added.
The proposals will now go to the full council meeting on February 4 for a final decision.