Tenants of Cambridge Council have voted four-to-one to keep housing management and ownership in council hands.

Cambridge offered tenants a choice between council control, an arm鈥檚-length management organisation or stock transfer, after acknowledging the local authority could afford to meet the decent homes standard using its own resources alone.

This is the second time in five years tenants have voted down transfer. In the latest ballot, about 4000 people voted (a 40% turnout), with 79% favouring the council, 12% an ALMO and 9% stock transfer.

David Craig, business manager (housing services) at the council, said: 鈥淚t will be difficult and budgets will be tight, but we wouldn鈥檛 have put all three options to the tenants if they weren鈥檛 all possible.鈥�

Cambridge requires 拢59m to raise its 8,700 homes to the decent homes standard and put in other improvements such as new windows.

Meanwhile, Highland council has voted to transfer ownership and management of its 15,500 homes to a new locally based social landlord. Tenants are expected to be given a vote in two years鈥� time when detailed proposals are available.

Source

Housing Today