Douglas Borough Council leader David Christian has called for an urgent review of capital scheme priorities after he and fellow members expressed deep concern over the external appearance of the local authority’s properties on the Anagh Coar estate. Councillor Christian voiced his concerns at the public Council meeting held on Wednesday, August 10. He said: ‘External painting of our properties in Anagh Coar, including the fences, is long overdue. We may have fitted uPVC windows on these houses, which benefits the tenants in terms of comfort and convenience and eases pressure on the Council’s maintenance programme, but the fascias and soffits were not replaced at the same time in uPVC – a false economy in my opinion – so require regular upkeep. Additionally the external doors are in very poor condition and should have received regular maintenance, although I concede the majority are to be replaced as part of a major scheme scheduled to start later this year. While recognising the need for prudent budgeting in these difficult economic times, excluding regular exterior painting from capital schemes will only lead to far greater costs being incurred in the long term. These houses at Anagh Coar look badly neglected and in sharp contrast to much of our other public sector housing stock, such as at Pulrose.’ Councillor Christian’s views were echoed by Councillor George Moughtin who described the houses’ appearance as ‘a disgrace’ and by public health and housing committee chairman Councillor Carol Malarkey who agreed and expressed serious concerns about the dilapidated condition of the properties’ boundary fences. Public health and housing committee vice-chairman Councillor Doreen Kinrade who had chaired the meeting on July 25 when the matter was raised, said she shared her fellow Members’ views and would arrange for the committee to look at capital scheme provision for painting across the Council’s housing stock, which numbers some 2,400 properties in total. ENDS