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More funding available for home repairs

Residents in County Durham are to receive £200,000 in funding in order to improve their houses after a survey found that many were substandard, according to the Northern Echo.

The Eldon Lane area in Bishop Auckland in the county was given the status of a regeneration area in 1999 and money set aside then is being used to improve the houses now.

Richard Roddam, housing strategy manager with Wear Valley district council described that there are many houses which still do not have central heating and the money will help with hazard removal and repairs.

Mr Roddam commented: "The survey will gather information that can be used to direct resources and develop such schemes as free loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and housing repair grants."

In Ayrshire and Arran there has been a 54 per cent increase in the number of central heating systems put in thanks to the government's Central Heating Programme, the Arran Voice has reported.

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