A multi-million pound upgrade to heating systems to council homes has been agreed by South Kesteven District Council.

A £7.5M deal has been signed with a Stoke-based company to supply electrical heating and renewable technologies over three or four years.

SKDC's cabinet member for Housing and Planning, Coun Robert Reid, told a cabinet meeting yesterday: "It's a lot of money. It's eyewatering in one respect."

However, Coun Reid said it involved "remedial work we should have done a long time ago."

Council reports have revealed that much work needs doing to the council's housing stock.

A report prepared for the meeting also noted that in 2019 SKDC declared a 'climate emergency' which drove its ambitions to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions, which the works would help achieve.

The work was also needed to meet higher energy standards expected of homes in the coming years, including government carbon 'net zero' targets.

South Kesteven District Council has also been awarded a £926,000 Green Homes Grant from central government, which it has to spend on projects by the year end.

Coun Reid (Con-Bourne Austerby) said he had been cabinet member for Housing and Planning for 15-16 months and this scheme was the "most radical part of the portfolio to date."

The report said SKDC will receive a total Green Homes Grant of £926,000 from central government, increasing the budget available in 2021/2022 from £3,885,000 to £4,811,000.

Central Heating, Ventilation and boiler replacement works are capital budgeted works of £3,885,000 per year for 2021/22 and 2022/23, and £4,240,000 for 2023/24.

The contract with Phoenix Gas Services of Stoke has a total value of £7,492,752.00.

Coun Reid says council properties will use gas where they have it. Where gas is not available, they would use air source heat pumps, 'smart' storage heaters, and solar thermal hot water systems. But ground source heat pumps have been rejected as too expensive.

He added work on the programme would start very soon as the council was only awarded the grant in March and has to ensure the work is done by the end of December as a condition to receive it.