Council tenants will have their homes inspected over the next three years

That has slashed the previous estimate of the time needed to carry out the work, which had been projected to take up to 15 years.

Almost 20,000 homes will now be inspected over the next three years, to ensure the council’s properties are up to a good standard of repair.

The surveys are crucial for keeping an accurate record of the condition of Rotherham’s council homes. The information gathered will help the council plan future investments in housing and ensure resources are managed effectively, to get value for money.

The decision comes after it was determined that the council’s current in-house surveying team would not be able to complete the necessary surveys in an acceptable timescale.

A review suggested that with the team’s current workload, the task would take an estimated 15 years to finish.