Nottingham Residents Take Campaign for Home Improvements to Downing Street

NOTTINGHAM residents went to 10 Downing Street yesterday in a bid to urge David Cameron not to slash funding for council house improvements. Three Nottingham City Homes tenants handed over a petition with more than 1,000 signatures calling for continued investment in refurbishing council houses. It follows news that the Decent Homes programme (called Secure, Warm, Modern in Nottingham), which is replacing thousands of old windows, bathrooms, kitchens and heating systems in city council houses, is under threat. The £165 million scheme, expected to run until 2013, could be scrapped or reduced, following today's spending review. Jean England, chairman of the NCH Tenant and Leaseholder Congress, which launched the campaign, said: "Now we've taken the petition to Downing Street, I hope the Government will listen to us today and let Nottingham keep its funding so that we can live in decent properties in comfort and security like they live in." She was joined in Downing Street by NCH residents Ennis Peck, 82, of Clifton, and Alison Thorpe, 48, of Strelley, as well as Gedling MP Vernon Coaker and Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood. Ms Greenwood, who organised the opportunity at Downing Street, said: "I think it's really important that people from Nottingham come down and say it like it is. These cuts can get tied up in figures but the important bit is the human cost of these cuts, what they'll mean to families. It doesn't have to be this way and it isn't fair." Read more on the Nottingham Post website.