£30 million of housing work is left in limbo

Angus Council house tenants are facing fresh uncertainty over improvements to their homes after it emerged a £30 million kitchen and bathroom upgrade programme is in disarray.

We can reveal the main contractor has been dropped by the authority after the pandemic wreaked havoc with the firm’s ability to keep pace with the scheme.

And it is the same company that pulled out of a £10m contract to carry out repairs in thousands of homes.

Last week we told how MPS housing had backed out of the repair contract just 10 months into a threeyear deal.

The Airdrie-based company is understood to have triggered a break clause in the contract.

And the news sparked speculation over MPS’S role as main contractor for the bathroom and kitchen replacement programme.

The firm has now confirmed its involvement in that ended in December.

A spokesman said: “MPS completed the kitchen and bathroom replacement contract before Christmas successfully.

“This was a two-year extension to a previous two-year contract.

“This was then brought to a close by the council at the end of December as it had been so badly impacted by Covid and our ability to recruit the numbers of trades staff required to deliver the desired run rate to satisfy the original contract.”

The company also explained its decision to exit the housing repairs contract.

“In terms of the housing repairs contract, MPS undertook a strategic review which looked at the local difficulties in attracting the right tradespeople, and the volatility of price and availability of materials,” the spokesman added.

“We came to the tough decision that the contract as is, is unsustainable.”

The council was unable to provide an update on how many homes have received new kitchens or bathrooms under the planned programme.

A spokesperson said: “This is still an ongoing contractual matter.”

Councillors are due to be updated in February.

It is thought they are speaking to local contractors about the situation.

A seven-year £24.9m Angus bathroom replacement programme got under way in 2019.

It involves fitting new bathrooms to around 6,500 homes – 80% of the authority’s housing stock.

Arbroath, Carnoustie and Monifieth are due to follow.

The programme will then involve upgrades to homes in Forfar and Kirriemuir.

Kitchen replacements were a £6.2m investment in the council’s 2020-2025 capital plan.

Nearly £4m of improvements were completed up to 2020.

And the council’s 2021/22 budget included a £730,000 spend in that area.

NEXT IN LINE: Council homes in Arbroath are scheduled to undergo improvements.