Birmingham Council's Housing and Finance Departments agreed that the £70 million to be raised
from the sale of Council land will be allocated to its decent homes programme. It is estimated that the Council will need to spend £587 million
to bring its housing stock up to the Decent Homes Standard by the target date of 2010.
Shareholders of the South Hampstead Co-operative
voted to hand back control of their 700 homes to Camden Council, as from April 2005. Financial problems are believed to be the main
reason.
Oldham Council's Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO), First Choice Homes Oldham, tackled heating bills by installing
heat metering systems in 615 homes. The Switch2 Energy Solutions system spots high levels of consumption, which can then be challenged
through advice on the economic use of heating systems.
Three people died when a fire swept through the 17-storey Harrow Court block of
flats owned by Stevenage Council. It is believed the block was equipped with a fire alarm system, but not sprinklers. Those who died were a resident
and two members of the fire service.