Improvements to Monmouthshire homes are well under way with more than £10 million of work carried out since the transfer of the housing stock. The refurbishment will aim amongst other things at improving the home’s insulation, with double glazing windows and new boilers being fitted to all the homes.

Monmouthshire Housing Association, who now manage the ex-council housing stock, have £190 million of further improvements are planned over the next 30 years.

Monmouthshire Council transferred its housing stock to the Housing Association in January 2008 through a voluntary transfer.

The Association now manages and maintains around 3,600 homes and 290 leasehold properties as well as garages and other land around and within the estate.

The aim of the association is to improve the homes to meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2012. This refurbishment refurbishment work will be carried out using energy efficient materials such as double glazing.

In its bid to meet this target, since the transfer, £10,986,057 of work has been carried out on the homes including replacing doors, fitting double glazing and rewiring.

A further £203,000 has also been spent on exterior improvement works, insulation and DigiTv projects.

A total of £190million is still planned to be spent on the homes over the next 30 years on work including home repairs, environmental improvements and making homes disabled-friendly.

The transfer has also created 170 jobs including plumbers, painters, electricians, and double glazing fitters.

One of these is Jessica Davies, 28, of Tredegar who works as an apprentice plumber for the housing association.

Ms Davies, who works four days a week spending the other day studying plumbing at Coleg Gwent's Ebbw Vale campus, carries out work including restoring bathrooms and installing new pipework.

She said: "Being offered the apprenticeship was like a dream come true and totally unexpected."

Chief Executive at Monmouthshire Housing Association, John Keegan said: "We are committed to boosting local employment wherever possible and many of our contractors are recruiting highly talented and competent apprentices within Monmouthshire."

Author:  Thomas Davies

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