A housing service to be proud of

Whilst we know that many of you are already satisfied with the services the individual councils provide, we know that we can do better.

Many tenants and leaseholders regularly tell us that there are things that we can improve. We know that there are things that we can learn from our neighbouring councils and there are things that they can learn from us.

Community

The biggest improvement in service will come through closer involvement of tenants and leaseholders in helping us decide plans for the future and in the involvement of residents in monitoring both these plans and the day to day services that we provide.

More say for tenants and leaseholders

What we’re proposing will really give you a greater chance to be more involved in your council housing service than ever before. Whilst the new organisation will be owned by the four councils, it will be run by a Management Board made up of four tenants or leaseholders, four councillors and four local independent people who represent the four council areas. They will oversee the day to day running of the organisation. There will also be local Area Boards, made up of tenants and leaseholders and local councillors, who will ensure the local needs of the four councils are met.

Our promise to you

We believe that what we’re proposing will make real improvements to your council housing service by:

Providing excellent customer services through an organisation that is dedicated to delivering high quality housing services
A greater involvement of tenants and leaseholders – because tenants will
be on the board of the new organisation and you will have a more direct role in how your housing services are delivered
Making savings and getting better value for money by doing things better
We guarantee that these savings will be re-invested to improve your service

We want a housing service that is as good as the best in the country and, by working with our neighbouring councils, we are confident that we can do this.

For more details about what we’re proposing through the Arms Length Management Organisation, see our At your service’ section.

How will the proposals affect me?

The changes we are proposing only affect the delivery of day to day housing services you receive and the way in which tenants and leaseholders can have a say in how things are run. Your legal rights and responsibilities as a tenant or a leaseholder will still be the same. The council will still be the landlord.

If you’re a tenant:

	Your council will still be your landlord, you will still be a council tenant
	All your rights and responsibilities will stay the same
	You will still have the right to buy your home
	Your council will decide how much rent you pay
	Your tenancy agreement will not change
	The Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) will exist for a single reason, to provide the best possible service to the council tenants and leaseholders of East Kent
	There will be greater accountability to tenants and leaseholders through the Board and through Area Boards
	We are NOT proposing to transfer your home to a housing association nor are we proposing to privatise the service

If you’re a leaseholder:

	Your council will continue to hold your lease on exactly the same terms and conditions as now
	Your council will continue to be responsible for working out your service charge and any contributions you will need to make to improvements
	Your legal rights to be consulted about and challenge your service charges will not be affected

The council is still in control:

	Each of the four councils will still own their own council housing
	Important decisions about the overall cost and levels of service and where money is spent will still be made by your elected councillors
	Each council will decide after consulting their own tenants, where money will be spent to improve tenants’ homes and estates
	The council will still decide who council homes are let to
	You will still be able to complain to your council and your local councillor if you are not happy with the service you get from the ALMO.

The main change is that your council will agree a contract with the ALMO to run day to day housing services.

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