By Jamie Waller, Local Democracy Reporter
The first grant received by Broxtowe from the East Midlands devolution deal will be spent improving the energy efficiency of 35 council bungalows.
Broxtowe Borough Council has applied for £583,000 to retrofit some of its older properties.
The homes on Scalby Close, Eastwood, will receive loft insulation, roof covering replacement and other thermal upgrades.
The council’s Cabinet gave the application the go ahead at a meeting on Tuesday (November 7).
Leader Councillor Milan Radulovic (Lab) hailed it as an example of devolution improving residents’ lives, and said a “huge number” of other bids had been submitted by the council.
“One of the key issues around devolution debate is ensuring work is visible and makes a difference to people’s lives,” he told the meeting.
“Scalby Close is a late 70s development which was deemed adequate then, but has required an enormous amount of alterations. Access for people with disabilities is difficult and they weren’t energy efficient or warm.
“This is an ideal opportunity, with a devolved Mayoral election coming up, to demonstrate that we can make a difference to people’s lives.”
He added this was the “first in a huge number of bids” submitted by the council for devolution cash.
The works will lower energy bills for residents and reduce their carbon footprints.
The devolution deal with the Government will create a combined East Midlands authority covering Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
It will provide extra powers and funding to local politicians, and the first Mayor of the East Midlands is due to be elected next May.
Councillor Greg Marshall (Lab) described it as an “excellent scheme” and predicted “Scalby Close will be mirrored in other houses across the borough.”
Work is expected to begin imminently and to be completed by February.
Councillor Helen Skinner (Lab) said: “I hope there will be many more we can do.
“It’s the way we should be moving with all of our houses.”
The cabinet also resolved to appoint University of Nottingham consultants to examine its housing stock for potential carbon savings.
The consultants will aim to find the most cost-effective methods to achieve the 2050 net zero carbon targets, and could lead to other properties being retrofitted.
This will have a total cost of £44,650.
