£206m to be ploughed into Dudley council homes

Some of the cash will also be spent on building more than 100 new properties across the borough.

It comes as bosses propose a rent increase for council tenants.

They are planning to introduce an increase of of 1.5 per cent, which would be an average of £1.22 a week from April.

The rise is lower than last year's increase of 4.6 per cent.

Council bosses said they wanted to keep it small to reduce the pressure on cash-strapped families.

Councillor Steve Waltho, cabinet member for housing, said: "In previous years the council followed the government's formula for setting rents in order to bring council rents in line with other social housing rents, to allow for inflation and to ensure we could afford to deliver our housing service.

"We now have greater flexibility when setting our rent increases and remain committed to helping people across the borough who may be struggling with increased food prices and utility costs.

"By proposing to keep our rent increase to a minimum this year, we hope to ease the financial pressures some of our tenants may face.

"We have carefully considered the lowest rent rise we can afford, while making sure that we have enough resources to continue maintaining the housing stock and making improvements to our properties.

"This rent rise is also lower than most other authorities in the local area." The council is proposing to spend £13.4m to build more council homes.

Two schemes for 17 homes in Sedgley and Wollaston are already under way.

Councillor Waltho said the council had earmarked £24m for repairs and maintenance and £21m for installing central heating.

The council also wants to invest £14m on adaptations to allow elderly people and people with disabilities to remain in their own homes.

£59m will be spent on improving properties as they become empty so they can be re-let easily. £18mwill be invested in services including income collection, tenancy enforcement, support for vulnerable tenants and lettings management.

The budget has been outlined in a report which will go before cabinet members at a meeting on February 12.

Councillor Waltho said: "The report highlights how the council is committed to investing in many aspects of housing services to ensure we deliver a high quality and efficient service for our tenants."