Hundreds of council homes to get energy upgrades

A council has agreed to spend almost £8m on energy efficiency improvements to its housing stock.

South Kesteven District Council's cabinet formally approved a contract to upgrade an estimated 273 council-owned properties at a meeting on Tuesday.

Measures include fitting solar panels and low-carbon heating measures.

Work is expected to start in June.

Virginia Moran, cabinet member for housing, said: "This is an extension of considerable work that we have already done on a number of properties."

Council leader Ashley Baxter described the project as a "triple whammy", by "improving our council stock, reducing bills for our residents and improving the environment."

It comes after the authority submitted a bid to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, which awarded a grant of about £4m, which will be match-funded by the council.

The contract, with Equans Building Ltd, is valued at about £7.8m over a three-year period, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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