KITCHENS in council homes across Wrexham are in for a massive facelift as part of a £1.2 million modernisation programme.

But although the cash for the 10-year project has already been earmarked it is now up to councillors to decide which of the authority’s 11,500 properties will be first to benefit from a much-needed upgrade.

The choice for priority treatment is between just over 1,200 elderly people’s bungalows, the oldest properties, or people who have been tenants the longest.

Housing chairman Cllr Mark Pritchard says he will be recommending that first to be renovated should be the elderly people’s bungalows, mainly on safety grounds as the facelift will include putting in non-slip flooring.

Cllr Pritchard said: “I am absolutely delighted that members have supported the proposal to put in new kitchens as part of a 10-year rolling programme.

“We have 11,500 properties in our housing stock and we know that 11,000 of them badly need new kitchens.

“It is now up to members to decide who gets priority but I will be supporting the idea that it should be the elderly people’s bungalows, which are located right across the borough.

“Many of their tenants have rented from the council for 40 years or more and moved into the bungalows when their families grew up and moved out. After all that time I believe they deserve to have better kitchens.

“There is also the safety aspect because apart from new base and wall units, we will also be putting in non-slip flooring and additional electrical sockets.

“The sockets are important because we know that many tenants of the bungalows are using extension leads for their appliances, which can be dangerous.”

Cllr Pritchard added: “We also have over 7,000 houses and almost 3,000 flats in our stock and all these properties will get new kitchens eventually.”

The scheme will be considered first by the council’s social affairs, health and housing scrutiny committee on April 13 before being passed to the executive board for final approval.