Council homes in �243m revamp bid

Government inspectors are to decide whether a Nottingham organisation will get �243m to renovate the majority of its 19,000 properties.

Nottingham City Homes manages the city council's rented and leasehold homes.

But to get the cash it has to increase its Audit Commission performance rating from one to two stars.

It should hear in January whether it can go ahead with proposals to upgrade its homes with new windows, kitchens and bathrooms.

Boost for city

Chief executive Chris Langstaff said the work would take five years and he was confident the inspectors would recognise big improvements that the organisation had made.

"I'm pleased to say we're now the best-performing metropolitan organisation across the country in terms of rent collected."

He added: "We're absolutely dependent on government funding to allow us to invest. The government is offering us the money but we've got to demonstrate that we can deliver a good service.

"It's really important that we're able to bring that extra investment into Nottingham which also means that money is going to be spent in shops - so it will be a big boost to Nottingham, not just our tenants."