Housing Update
Nearly 10,000 tenants and leaseholders across
East Kent have taken part in the consultation on plans to improve
their council housing services, which will now go to council
meetings in September and October.
Canterbury, Dover District, Shepway and Thanet councils put
forward proposals to set up an “arms length management
organisation” (ALMO) to manage their council housing services.
These went out to consultation with over 18,000 tenants and
leaseholders, with the consultation closing on Monday 16 August.
Across the four areas, 52% took part in the consultation, either by
attending events, filling in surveys or taking part in phone
surveys. In Dover District, the response rate was 52%.
During the 12 week consultation, more than 50 face to face
events were held across the four areas, as well as telephone
surveys and newsletters delivered to people’s doors, which
contained the questionnaire asking tenants what they thought about
their councils working together with other councils and about
setting up an ALMO to manage their council housing service.
It is estimated that the ALMO would make savings of £1.5 million
over the next few years and possibly more in the longer term,
through improved repairs contracts and bringing together
administrative services. This money, by law, would then be
re-invested into improving council housing services. The plans
would also mean greater access to services on weekends and
evenings, with more involvement for tenants and leaseholders in how
things are run and the standard of service they receive.
When asked if they thought it was a good idea for their council
to work with others in East Kent to run their council housing
services, 71% of tenants and leaseholders in Dover District said
yes, while 19% were not sure and only 10% said no.
The second question asked if tenants and leaseholders supported
the proposal of their council joining with the other three in East
Kent to form the ALMO to run their council housing services. In
response, 72% of those who responded in Dover District said yes,
while 17% were not sure and only 11% said no.
A report on the results of the consultation will now go to each
of the four councils in September and October, seeking councillors’
approval to submit an application to the Tenant Services Authority
for permission to transfer the management of council housing to the
proposed new ALMO. In Dover District, the proposals will go to
Cabinet on Monday 6 September and Council on 29 September.
Paul Bartlett, Project Manager, said: "We're really impressed
that so many people took the time and effort to take part in this
important consultation, which could see a major improvement in the
way all four councils manage their council housing services, and we
would like to say a big thank you to all the different people who
took part. This is a really practical example of four councils
working well together to deliver such an extensive consultation,
which has proved to be very successful, with such a high response
rate from tenants and leaseholders."
The proposals are part of the wider proposals to share council
services across East Kent, as a way of improving services at a time
of increasing financial pressures in councils.
Date: 27/08/2010
Contact: Andy Steele
Telephone: 01304 872020
Fax: 01304 872300
Press Office Direct Line: 01304
872020
