The next step of a multi-million pound investment in the Island’s public sector housing stock has been unanimously approved by Tynwald.

It will include ?4.5m in planned maintenance of local authority homes and a further ?1.79m to carry out the fourth phase of the refurbishment of the Bretney Estate in Jurby.

The Department of Local Government’s scheme to improve its 1,200 public sector homes began three years ago.

During a brief debate, Local Government Minister John Shimmin (pictured) said his department’s three year programme would be published next month with a further ?98 million pounds investment planned over the next five years to bring public sector housing up to modern day standards.

The Lord Bishop praised the approach and said public sector housing was one of the greatest benefits that could be offered to the Island community and something which had been lost in the United Kingdom.