Ealing Homes contract will not be renewed in 2011
Ealing Council is to go out to tender to find new organisations to manage council homes in the borough.
The decision made last night by the Cabinet follows last year’s in principle agreement that the council will not renew the contract of Ealing Homes when it comes to an end in March 2011.
To provide greater local accountability the council is planning to split housing into three areas, with separate contracts for:
Southall
Ealing – covering Ealing, Acton and Hanwell
Northolt – covering Greenford, Northolt and Perivale
Under each contract the organisation would be responsible for managing the housing stock and running the repairs and maintenance service.
The council has already begun consulting residents and a series of events and focus groups have taken place across the borough to ensure residents’ views are taken into account. A series of local roadshows will run during late February and early March to get further input into the way the contracts will be managed.
Councillor Will Brooks, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “We have long had concerns about the management of housing stock in Ealing. Fundamentally changing the way our housing is managed will allow tenants to have a greater say in how their estates are run. I’m pleased that we are pushing forward with these plans, which should deliver great improvements for council tenants and leaseholders.”
Under the plans the council will continue to own the homes and it will continue to be the landlord. No one organisation will be allowed to win more than two of the contracts.
For more information call the freephone helpline on 0800 884 0800, email localhousing@ealing.gov.uk or visit www.ealing.gov.uk/housing
The Cabinet decision is subject to call in for a period of five working days from the date of publication of the minutes of the meeting.
January 13, 2010