A WHOPPING £58 million has been earmarked for upgrading council housing.

And tenants will be given a chance to have their say on how the money is spent to transform Wigan's 26,000 council homes.

Leigh MP Andy Burnham welcomed the news saying: "This is a major boost for Leigh. It is why people here put their trust in Labour."

The council has provisionally been awarded a record £58 million to invest over a two year period. And the biggest ever boost to housing investment in the borough will be masterminded by ALMO -- an arms length management organisation with input from those who pay the rent.

Leigh's council estates are set to get a proportion of the £58.3 million provisionally planned for projects like upgrading insulation, roof repairs, new windows, and modernising kitchens and bathrooms.

Improve quality

Wigan Council is one of just eight councils to be provisionally awarded a cut of £300 million of government funds set aside to improve the quality and management of council housing.

A delighted Mr Burnham added: "Together with other local MPs, I have made the case for investment in better housing and we are thrilled that Stephen Byers has listened and acted.

"His bid approval allows investment in our housing on a scale never seen before. It will also allow tenants in Leigh to become more directly involved in housing decisions."

Services to tenants could also be improved by more estate caretaking, extending neighbourhood watch schemes and tackling anti-social behaviour.

In Leigh and Wigan the ALMO will manage properties on a day-to-day basis, focusing on major improvements and repairs, but the Council will keep ownership of the homes and strategic responsibility for housing. Tenants will remain tenants of the local authority.

Wigan Housing director Peter Gee said: "For years we've been struggling to keep the outside of our homes in a decent condition and we've hardly been able to touch the interior fittings.

"We can now sit down and work out with our tenants and elected councillors how we will spend this money."

The money is conditional on Wigan continuing to get top marks in the 'best value' housing inspection next year.