Tenants to vote on better homes

Release date: 24.10.07
Ref: BBC/PR/ENV/37/07

Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council has formally agreed to ballot its 2,000 tenants on the future of their homes following a detailed consultation exercise.

At its meeting on 22 October, Councillors reviewed the results of a 28 day formal consultation period which showed broad support amongst tenants for the plans to transfer the Council’s homes to Berwick Borough Housing.

Leader of the Council, Isabel Hunter said:
“The consultation has shown that tenants understand the issues and are open to change so it is only right that we press ahead with giving them the final say. We will now move ahead with the ballot and I would encourage all tenants to make sure they use their vote when the time comes.”

Over the last few months, the Council has been running a major consultation exercise with tenants, setting out the facts about what transfer might mean and also the implications of staying with the Council.

If a majority of tenants who vote in the ballot vote yes, homes are expected to transfer in the early summer of next year to Berwick Borough Housing. This is a brand new, not for profit housing organisation that the Council has helped to set up that would form a new group with existing housing provider Three Rivers Housing Association.

Berwick Borough Housing would not face the same financial restrictions as the Council and would be able to finance an investment programme of around £27 million in the first five years alone – around £15 million more than what the Council could deliver.

This is mainly due to the fact that Berwick Borough Housing would get to keep all the rent money it collects to spend on tenants homes and services - unlike the Council who have to send some of the rent money it collects back to central Government to help subsidise other councils. This amounted to around £1.3m this year alone.