WORK on bringing thousands of council homes up to a better standard is to be brought forward in Kirklees.

A new timetable is being produced after the housing budget went into a £10m surplus.

The main reason was an £8m subsidy from the Government.

Money will be used by Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing to finish off its decent homes programme and catch up on other improvements.

Welcoming the bonus, Cllr Andrew Cooper, the council's Cabinet member for housing, said: "This extra money brings ever greater certainty that we shall finish the programme for decent homes.

"It will also allow extra planned work to houses which provides better value.

"In all, it secures a much brighter future for managing council housing in Kirklees."

A total of £73m has already been planned for spending on council houses in 2004/05.

Work has already been completed on improvements to 4,200 homes and a further 150 are being completed each week.

Tenants' homes are surveyed to see if they already meet the decent homes standards or if any work needs doing.

The work includes new kitchens, bathrooms, double glazed windows, central heating or external doors.

A programme of improvement work on sheltered housing is also on target to be completed by 2006/07.

Pilot schemes at Sycamore Grange, Golcar, and Belmont Grange, Norristhorpe, have been completed.

Four more schemes are due to start in 2004/05 at Burhouse Court, Honley; Brooklands, Bradley; Wellington Court, Batley; and Walker Street, Thornhill.