Council Housing

Stock Options Appraisal

The Government required all local authorities that own and manage their housing stock to look at different options for the management and ownership of their stock and to make a decision by the end of July 2005.

To meet this requirement Shepway District Council engaged housing finance specialists, Tribal HCH (formerly HACAS Chapman Hendy) and the Shepway Tenants’ and Leaseholders’ Group (STLG) selected Aldbourne Consultancy as their Independent Tenant Advisors for the Options Appraisal. Their initial findings were presented to the Housing Steering Group made up of councillors, tenant and leaseholder representatives and staff in December 2004. They advised that two options were open to Shepway District Council: -

• Retaining housing in the Council’s ownership and under the Council’s management.
• Transferring ownership and management of the housing stock to a not for profit housing association (RSL) which would also include tenants and councillors on its management committee.

Each of these options presented different opportunities for improvements to the Council’s housing services, tenant participation and the future provision of affordable housing in the district.

Tenants, leaseholders and other stakeholders were consulted throughout the process and a  Tenant Empowerment Strategy and  Communications Strategy were developed. Two special Coast and Countrysider magazines were produced, the first  Coast and Countrysider Issue 5 provided information about the process and the second included a ‘Test of Opinion’ ballot about which option they preferred. Details of the consultation are published in the  Coast and Countrysider Issue 7. The findings of the consultation are detailed in the final report referred to at the end of this bulletin.

Cabinet and full Council considered the findings of the consultation exercise on 13th and 20th April 2005 respectively and approved the Council retaining and continuing to manage its own housing stock.

• In making this decision the Council took the following into account: -
• The majority of tenants and leaseholders would prefer the Council to retain its housing
• There is expected to be enough money available to bring all of the Council’s housing stock up to the Government’s Decent Homes Standard by 2010
• Money is also available to improve all Coast and Countryside Housing Services’ property to its Shepway Standard up to 2021, and
• it is possible to maintain housing services at the current level and standard.

The Council recognised that if there is a significant change in circumstances it may be necessary to reconsider the alternative choices for management and ownership of the stock. This could happen, for example, if there is a change in the Government’s funding arrangement for council housing. Tenants, leaseholders, and staff would be consulted again along with other stakeholders should it prove necessary to reconsider the choices.

Other options that had been considered as part of the Appraisal included maintaining council ownership but managing the stock separately or contracting out to a private company, neither of which were viable for Shepway.

A copy of the Final Report to Council on the choices for the future ownership and management of the Council’s Coast and Countryside Housing Services can be obtained from:

June Martin,
Shepway Housing Centre
3-5 Shorncliffe Road
Folkestone
Kent CT20 2SQ