£50 million in funding will go towards upgrading and improving social housing in Manchester over the next two years.
Manchester City Council has revealed this week that thousands of tenants living in social housing and Council-owned residential complexes across the city and wider borough are set to receive what is being dubbed “transformational investment” to their homes before 2026.
More than 2,000 homes within Manchester will be improved, the Council has confirmed.
£47 million of funding has been approved to improve more than 2,000 homes through a range of works – from new bathrooms, kitchens, and boilers, to rewiring, new doors, and adaptations for disabled residents.
£5 million will be used to “enhance safety” across 12 high rise blocks, while £2 million of the fund has been earmarked for “essential adaptations” to make sure the needs of residents with accessibility requirements are met so they can live in their homes independently for longer.
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The funding will also help install 110 ground or air source heat pumps, and 67 solar panels too.
We are starting the largest ever investment to improve our social housing.
This will include more than 1,000 bathroom upgrades, 244 new kitchens and 324 new boilers that will reduce running costs for residents.
These improvement works are part of what the Council has called its “ongoing commitment” to ensure the properties it owns meet “decent homes standards” and improve conditions for social housing tenants.
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From early 2024, the Council’s Housing Services team will start to develop a five-year programme of home and estate improvements, which will be supported by a condition survey of all 12,500 Council-owned homes in the city in an bid to help “inform and prioritise” any improvement works required and deliver the “best possible service” for tenants.
This comes after the Housing Services team recently began the process of tackling a backlog of repairs that were “exacerbated by the delays caused by COVID-19,” according to the Council.
It also comes after the Council announced a landmark £60 million ‘energy efficiency’ programme over the next two years back in July – which will upgrade 2,100 Manchester homes as part of the city’s target to become net zero by 2038.
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Manchester City Council invests £50m in ‘transformational upgrades’ to social housing / Credit: Manchester City Council
Cllr Gavin White called this “one of the biggest investments in Council-owned homes in many years”.
Speaking as the £50 million funding was announced, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development said: “This is a clear commitment to our residents to deliver a social housing sector that our tenants can trust, and homes they can be proud to live in.
“We want to deliver the best possible service for social housing tenants, and we firmly believe that everyone in Manchester deserves a safe, secure, and decent home.”
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Teen arrested after hiding in wheelie bin following attempted burglary in Bolton
Emily Sergeant
A teenage boy has been arrested after police found him hiding in a wheelie bin during the early hours of the morning.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that, at around 3:50am this past Saturday morning (24 October), officers from the Bolton Neighbourhood Team were called to reports of a ‘disturbance’ on Ullswater Drive, in the Farnworth area of Bolton.
Upon arrival, police discovered that a group of people had attempted to break into a garden shed and steal items.
Following a police chase on foot and searches of surrounding gardens, officers found a 17-year-old boy hiding inside a wheelie bin, and he was subsequently arrested on suspicion of burglary.
A 16-year-old girl was also arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary, and they have both been bailed while the investigation continues.
Enquiries remain ongoing to identify and locate others who police believe to have been involved in the incident.
Sergeant Emily Fogg, from GMP’s Bolton Neighbourhood Team, said the boy ‘clearly did a rubbish job’ of hiding from police.
“Our policing teams are committed to rooting our criminality in our communities and will continue to seek justice for victims of this invasive crime,” Sergeant Fogg concluded.
Anyone with information the can assist the investigation is asked to contact police on 101, quoting the log number 475 of 24/10/26.
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News
National Lottery hunts for Tameside player who’s not claimed £1m winnings
Daisy Jackson
The hunt is on to find a National Lottery player in Tameside who’s won £1m – and not claimed it.
The missing millionaire won the huge prize on a Lotto ticket bought on Wednesday 1 July, somewhere in the Borough of Tameside.
But with just two months to go until the prize expires, the player has still not come forward to claim their winnings.
The winning numbers in were 5, 8, 26, 33, 39, 42 and the Bonus Ball was 54.
Now, the National Lottery is renewing its search for the millionaire, calling for the mystery winner to cash in their prize before it expires at midnight on 28 December.
National Lottery Senior Winners’ Advisor Andy Carter has been out in Tameside ‘hunting’ for the missing millionaire, visiting everywhere from Portland Basin to Hartshead Pike.
Andy said: “I’ve searched high and low across Tameside for our missing millionaire, but I’ve had no luck.
National Lottery hunts for Tameside player who’s not claimed £1m winnings. Credit: Anthony Devlin/Assignments/Press Association
“With just two months left to claim this £1 million prize, now is the time for anyone who bought a Lotto ticket in Tameside for the 1 July draw to have another look.
“The winning ticket could be tucked away somewhere completely ordinary, while its owner has absolutely no idea they are a millionaire.
“We’d love to find the person we’ve been looking for and turn this search into a celebration. So, if you bought a ticket in the area, dig it out, check those numbers and help us find Tameside’s missing millionaire. It could be you.”
With all National Lottery draws, players have 180 days from the day of the draw to claim their prize if they have the winning ticket. Anyone who has any queries or who believes they have the winning ticket for any of the National Lottery draws within the 180-day deadline should call the National Lottery Line on 0333 234 5050 or email [email protected].
Emily Sergeant -
1st September 2023 
