RENT for council tenants will drop by one per cent from April, if Rugby Borough Councillors approve a recommendation when they meet next Tuesday (February 7).
Average weekly rents would drop from £84.06 to £83.22 per week, with service charges set to stay roughly the same.
Further recommended proposals include heating upgrades for around 230 properties, new bathrooms in around 110 properties and new kitchens for around 220 properties.
More than 1,000 tenants will also see their homes installed with new double glazing and more secure composite front doors.
The council will aim to buy 12 properties on the open market to rent to council tenants, reinvesting in housing where properties have been bought under the Right to Buy.
While tenants will benefit from the rent cut and investment in properties, the reduced income will mean that maintenance and management costs will have to be reduced by around £500,000 per year.
This will be achieved through reduced materials stockholding and more efficient buying practices, better use of vehicles and other resources, and changes to the way the council works with suppliers.
