Council houses throughout East Devon are set to get new kitchens, doors, central heating, disabled facilities and better car parking, thanks to an expected �2m windfall.

Last week the Housing Service of East Devon District Council (EDDC) held a cream tea for tenants, councillors and council staff to mark the extra cash.

It is all because of a new funding regime; from this month East Devon Homes has new financial freedoms.

And the extra cash will enable home improvements, identified in a recent stock condition survey, to be made much more quickly.

Previously EDDC had to pay a housing subsidy into a central fund, which for 2012/2013 would have cost it �6m.

Instead, now it has taken out an �84m loan, which means that it will cost it �3.3million a year in interest, �2.7m less.

And �2million of that will be ploughed into improving and modernising their housing stock.

Councillor Jill Elson, cabinet member for affordable Homes and communities, said: “We will be investing more money in new kitchens, doors and heating systems, as well as initiatives to provide affordable warmth and energy efficiency in homes.

“We will be funding more disabled adaptations, sheltered housing upgrades and car parking improvements, as well as investigating how we can continue building or acquiring new council homes.”