Housing Transfer Programme 2002 (Hansard, 19 March 2002)

§ Ms Keeble

I am announcing today the names of 24 authorities in England which, on a voluntary basis and subject to the approval of their tenants, should be able to proceed with proposals to carry out 26 transfers of all or part of their stock to registered social landlords. I have today placed 15 proposals on the transfer programme while holding a place open for a further 11 transfers. Together the programme could involve over 180,000 dwellings in large scale voluntary transfers over two years.

Authorities on the 2002 Programme have decided, with their tenants, to pursue housing stock transfer as their vehicle for reaching by 2010 the Government's Decent Homes Target. They will have made this decision after considering the various options for reaching the target. Housing transfer enables the new landlords to obtain increased investment from private sources to carry out any backlog of repairs and subsequent improvements more quickly than if the properties had remained in local authority ownership. Housing transfer can also bring about higher levels of tenant involvement, ensuring housing services meet tenants' needs and preferences. It can also provide a significant boost to the wide-scale regeneration of the surrounding area. Over time, tenants' rents will be similar to what they would pay to their local authority, due to the Government's policy of bringing greater fairness and coherence to the structure of social rents.

Housing transfers are voluntary and may only take place if tenants are in favour. The consent of the Secretary of State is also required before a transfer can proceed and that will only be granted if it appears that a majority of tenants wish the transfer to proceed.

Proposals submitted for the 2002 Programme have been of high quality. However some are not as advanced as we would wish to secure a place immediately. Therefore Copeland, Teignbridge, Middlesbrough and the London boroughs of Hackney (Kings Crescent) and Islington (Tollington Estates) have been asked to develop their transfer proposals further. I am also holding open places on the programme for Cannock Chase, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Sheffield, Southwark (Tabard Gardens Estate), Solihull, and Worcester pending the agreement of valuations with them.

The authorities that have successfully gained places on the programme, together with the intended recipient RSL, are as follows:

(a) a disposal by Amber Valley borough council of not more than 7,120 dwelling-houses to Amber Valley Housing Limited;
(b) a disposal by Bromsgrove district council of not more than 3,239 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(c) a disposal by Cherwell district council of not more than 3,800 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(d) a disposal by Forest of Dean district council of not more than 3,754 dwelling-houses to Forest of Dean Housing;
(e) two disposals by the Liverpool city council of not more than 2,260 dwelling-houses on the Walton Estate to a registered social landlord and not more than 295 dwelling-houses on the Kensington Estate to Community 7;
(f) A disposal by Maidstone borough council of not more than 6,487 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(g) a disposal by the Manchester city council of not more than 106 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(h) a disposal by North Hertfordshire district council of not more than 8,570 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(i) two disposals by Oldham metropolitan borough council of not more than 1,281 dwelling-houses on the Fitton Hill Estate to a registered social landlord and not more than 645 dwellings on the Limeside (The Avenue)/Hollins Estate to a registered social landlord;
(j) a disposal by Ruschliffe borough council of not more than 3,559 dwelling-houses to Metropolitan Housing;
(k) a disposal by Scarborough borough council of not more than 5,000 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(l) a disposal by South Norfolk council of not more than 4,417 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord;
(m) a disposal by Stockport borough council of not more than 13,301 dwelling-houses to a registered social landlord.