Blackpool Council is recommending an increase of an average £3 per week for Council homes. The move follows the announcement by Government that Councils will no longer receive a subsidy to maintain and improve council-owned properties.

Cllr Gillian Campbell, cabinet member for housing at Blackpool Council said: “Ideally we would not be putting up rents, but we do not have a choice. The way that Council houses are funded will change from the end of March this year and the Council will no longer receive an annual government subsidy to maintain and improve the Council-owned homes. The rent increases will help guarantee an improvement programme for our tenants.”

Blackpool’s current average rent of £58.54 per week is similar to many other local authorities in the North West and the increase proposed in Blackpool is thought to be one of the lowest in the country.

In Blackpool 82% of tenants are in receipt of full or part housing benefit which means that those on lower incomes will not bear the full impact of the increase.

Cllr Campbell added: “The rent review does mean we will be able to guarantee that all our houses meet the Decent Homes Standard by 2015; that all single glazing will be replaced with double glazing by 2015 and that improvements will be undertaken to properties so that more residents have secure gardens and better car parking facilities.”

The rent review also forms part of a wider review of Blackpool Coastal Housing to ensure that the organisation continues to provide value for money.