A SCHEME to improve hundreds of council houses across Ellesmere Port has finally been completed after 16 years of work.

A total of 853 properties in the Parklands, Overpool, Pooltown and Sutton Way areas of the town have benefited from the borough council's refurbishment programme.

The once dirty-looking houses, declared defective by the Government in 1990, have been given a facelift with an outer skin of facing brick, new gutters, fascias and water pipes.

Other improvements include double glazing, porch lights, insulation and security locks.

Borough mayor Marie Lewis joined Faraday Road residents and building contractors Bullock at a ceremony to mark the finish of the scheme.

A spokesperson for the council's tenant support and project unit said: 'As a result of the work tenants have seen a reduction in their heating bills, their houses look better and the properties have been given a far longer life expectancy.

'The work was only made possible by the council using a considerable amount of its own resources and taking every opportunity to bid for government funding, in which it was successful under both the Estate action and Single regeneration budget programmes.'