Tenants in Harrogate, the home of the housing sector’s biggest annual conference, have opted to keep the council as their landlord.

The decision means the local authority will have to generate £16m to bring its stock of 3913 homes up to the decent homes standard.

The council’s housing options appraisal steering group, which includes five tenants, made its recommendation that the local authority retain ownership of the stock to a council scrutiny commission last week.

The council did not conduct a formal ballot of tenants, but it said its consultation process, which included four open days and an informal ballot, showed that 97% of residents wanted to keep the council as their landlord.

Councillor Jean Butterfield, Harrogate council cabinet member for housing, said the local authority’s record of keeping its housing well-maintained meant it would be able to meet the decency standard using existing funds.

The council will spend £4m on improving the stock in 2005/6, with a further £3m being spent each year until 2010.

The local authority will raise the cash through housing improvement programme funding, which comes from regional housing pots, and revenue from rents.

Expenditure will include £7m on roofing and £1m on new doors.

The steering group’s recommendation is scheduled to go to Harrogate’s full cabinet for approval later this month.

Source

Housing Today