COUNCIL housing chiefs at Bolton were today poised to introduce their lowest rent rise for the last 15 years. Housing Committee members were meeting this afternoon to finalise rents for 1999-2000 and a report recommends a 2.6pc rise which works out at an average 96p per week over the 48-week collection year. And some people could see their rents go down by £2 a week if the recommendations are given the green light.

The move would benefit almost 3,600 households in one and two-bedroom flats and houses and paying rents of up to £35.50 per week.

But to balance the books, almost the same number will have their rents increased by a further £2 a week on top of the proposed rise.

That will affect people in three and four-bedroomed houses and bungalows who currently pay less than £39.50 a week.

Housing Committee Chairman, Cllr Noel Spencer, said he was "really pleased" with the low figure. "It's particularly pleasing when the main people who will benefit from the £2 a week rent cut will be the elderly. It's part of balancing things out, so that people in smaller homes pay less and those in larger properties pay a bit more."

He warned that the move to contain rent rises would put pressure on the amount of money available for repairs and maintenance, but by working with customers through BATRA, the Bolton Affiliation of Tenant and Residents Associations, the Department would do its very best to stretch its resources in this area, and all essential repairs would be completed in the quickest possible time.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.