Council home improvements back on track

IPSWICH: A programme to modernise council homes across the town is back on track after the collapse of national maintenance company Connaught.

A PROGRAMME to modernise council homes across Ipswich is back on track after the collapse of national maintenance company Connaught.

Ipswich Borough Council today confirmed that it had agreed a deal with refurbishment and maintenance specialist Lovell to take over the Connaught contract.

The programme to replace kitchen and bathrooms across the council’s housing stockwas disrupted when Connaught went into administration earlier this month.

Lovell agreed a deal with the administrators to takeover most of Connaught’s contracts but this was subject to the agreement of the authorities involved.

The successful talks between the company and Ipswich council means that work will restart from Monday to complete the 30 or so homes where work was in progress.

Work will also go ahead on the remainingr 200 homes yet to be modernised, with tenants being contacted shortly to arrange start dates later in the year.

All staff previously employed by Connaught on the housing modernisation contract will now be employed by Lovell.

“This action has not only minimised the delay to tenants, who have been very understanding of the situation, but has also helped save jobs of both former Connaught staff and sub-contractors,” said a Lovell spokesman.

“This will also ensure that the same high standards of work are maintained at no additional cost to the council.”

Lovell managing director Stewart Davenport added: “We are delighted to have helped secure the jobs of people working on the modernisation programme and are pleased to be using our housing refurbishment expertise in partnership with the council to deliver new kitchens and bathrooms for residents.”