Beaumont calls for detailed investigation of council house management merger proposals

Plans to create a new organisation to manage council housing in East Kent have been agreed in principle by Shepway District Council. The proposals would see the creation of a company, jointly owned by Shepway, Canterbury, Ashford, Thanet and Dover councils, which would manage the 21,000 homes owned by the five.

Once all councils have agreed the proposal in principle, they will start detailed consultation with their tenants. A final decision will not be made until after the consultation ends next summer with the new arrangements likely to come into effect in April 2010.

The proposals will also be considered by the East Kent Joint Arrangements Committee and the East Kent Joint Scrutiny Committee.

Lib Dem District Council Group Leader Lynne Beaumont commented:

"We must look hard at these proposals to make sure they are in the best interests of all residents. There may well be advantages in a shared service, but there are real concerns as well if the proposal is not implemented properly.

"We need to be really clear on what the actual service would look like. Where will tenants call for help, where services would be based, and what impact there will be on rents and service levels?

"There have to be proper written agreements so that tenants and Councillors can make an informed choice based on real facts, not just an assumption that a merged service will be better and cheaper."