A £20 million programme of repairs and maintenance to council houses in Reading has been welcomed, despite a multi-million-pound reduction in its budget. 

Reading Borough Council serves as a landlord for approximately 5,835 households. 

Each year, the council sets out a multi-million programme of maintenance, repairs and upgrades.

The current programme is worth £20.34 million (£20,340,000) and involves £3.300 million on improvements to its 'crosswall blocks' built in the 1960s,  £1.650 million to improve kitchens and bathrooms and a range of other improvements. 

READ MORE: Improvements to council houses in Whitley estate approved 

However, the budget for the work was originally £26.692 million (£26,692,000).

Therefore, the budget has been reduced by £6.352 million (£6,352,000) on that agreed during budget setting in February this year.

The reduction in the amount of work is a result of workforce shortages, a matter that was discussed at a meeting of the council's housing, neighbourhoods and leisure committee. 

Explaining the reductions to the works programme, Natalie Waters, the interim director of housing landlord services said: "The planned programme for council homes has been impacted by the market conditions in securing capacity to complete the works.

"Due to the reduction in capacity it has led to the reduction in the output of the internal workforce in this year."

Matt Yeo (Labour, Caversham), lead councillor for housing said: "These are important repairs, and it's a great example of what we do for tenants, we need to do it, and I don't think I need to say any more than that really."

Meanwhile, cllr Glenn Dennis (Labour, Kentwood), the mayor, welcomed a £2.415 million spend on improvements to council houses in Kentwood.

Projects involve improvements to insulation, windows and front gates for neighbours in Lyndhurst Road and other council properties. 

Changes to the programme, including the reduced spend, were agreed at the meeting on November 13.