An extra £270,000 is to be made available for home renovation grants by Oxford City Council.

Ten councillors on the executive board agreed that the money should be released for the grants as soon as funds are available this financial year.

The money will be taken from the capital budget - which includes proceeds from sales of council property.

The council has already made £830,000 available so far this year to improve homes in the private sector.

The board also decided to order a review of its policy on grants, and whether applications from homeowners or landlords are dealt with on a mandatory or discretionary basis.

The decision follows uncertainty about which renovation grants can be paid on a discretionary basis, and how much discretion council officers can exercise under Government guidelines when allocating the funding.

John Copley, the head of the environmental health department, has been asked to carry out a complete review of the council's renovation grant strategy.

People with disabilities are eligible to receive disabled facilities grants on a mandatory basis, provided their application is supported by social services officers.

Grants to rectify unfit homes, for example those suffering from damp, are also available on a mandatory basis.

Energy conservation grants, or grants to help the elderly convert their homes, are available on a discretionary basis.

For further information about grant availability, call the council on 01865 252281.