Colchester council tenants have voted resoundingly in favour of handing control of their homes to an arm's-length management organisation.
The vote saw the highest turnout of any similar ALMO ballot – 57% of the 8000 people eligible – with more than 75% voting in favour.

The result paves the way for Colchester's ALMO to obtain £12m of initial funding, provided it achieves a two-star inspection rating next year.

Colchester, part of the second bidding round of ALMO funding, estimates it needs about £35m in order to meet the decent homes standard by 2010.

Meanwhile, Kensington & Chelsea's ALMO has been awarded two stars in an Audit Commission report published yesterday. The result means the ALMO, Kensington and Chelsea Tenants' Management Organisation, will receive additional capital funding of £19.5m over the next two years.

The news comes as the 14 third-round ALMO bidders wait to find out how much money they will get. There are fears that with the bids totalling £1.6bn – £400m more than the previous round – allocations may fall short of what councils bid for.

Source

Housing Today