Almost 10,000 take part in housing consultation

Nearly 10,000 tenants and leaseholders across East Kent took part in the consultation on plans to improve their council housing services, which have now been presented to the local Councils involved and the Tenant Services Authority to make the final decision..

Canterbury, Dover, Shepway and Thanet councils put forward proposals to set up an “arms length management organisation” (ALMO) to manage their council housing services to over 18,000 tenants and leaseholders in August. Across the four areas, 52% took part in the consultation, either by attending events, filling in surveys or taking part in phone surveys.

A summary of the consultation results are:

Response rates by council areas:

In Canterbury, the response rate was 49%.

In Dover, the response rate was 52%.

In Shepway, the response rate was 63%.

In Thanet, the response rate was 48%.

During the 12 week consultation, more than 50 face to face events were held across the four areas, as well as telephone surveys and newsletters delivered to people’s doors, which contained the questionnaire asking tenants what they thought about their councils working together with other councils and about setting up an ALMO to manage their council housing service.

When asked if they thought it was a good idea for their council to work with others in East Kent to run their council housing services,

In Canterbury: 69% of tenants and leaseholders in Canterbury said yes, while 19% were not sure and only 12% said no.

In Dover: 71% of tenants and leaseholders said yes, while 19% were not sure and only 10% said no.

In Shepway: 71% of tenants and leaseholders in Shepway said yes, while 20% were not sure and only 9% said no.

In Thanet: 64% of tenants and leaseholders said yes, while 24% were not sure and only 12% said no.

The second question asked if tenants and leaseholders supported the proposal of their council joining with the other three in East Kent to form the ALMO to run their council housing services.

In Canterbury: 68% of those who responded in Canterbury said yes, while 17% were not sure and only 15% said no.

In Dover: 72% of those who responded in Dover said yes, while 17% were not sure and only 11% said no.

In Shepway: 72% of those who responded in Shepway said yes, while 18% were not sure and only 10% said no.

In Thanet: 69% of those who responded in Thanet said yes, while 18% were not sure and only 13% said no.