On Thursday 16 October 2008, the Housing and Community Services Committee voted to undertake a Council House Stock Option Review to establish what improvements and services Council house tenants are looking for in the future and to consider how best their expectations can be met. Council tenants can rest assured that if there are any proposals to change the ownership of the properties coming out of this process, the Council tenants themselves, and they alone, will have the final say.

Says Cllr John Lemmon, Chairman of South Derbyshire District Council’s Housing and Community Services Committee, “The Stock Options Review is a fact-finding exercise. A similar review was carried out in 2004. At that time, the Council concluded that it could still deliver what the tenants wanted and therefore no change was needed. Nearly five years on, it is only timely that we re-evaluate the situation and put the findings to our Council tenants and ask them what they want.”

The consultation with tenants will begin in the New Year and will be led by an independent adviser who will guide on best practice. A specifically formed group of nine people will manage the review. The adviser will also ensure that all tenants get every opportunity to have their views heard and that any information that is published is balanced, accurate and fair, so that tenants are able to have an informed opinion.

The options which are open for consideration are to keep the current arrangement of the Council owning and managing the houses, for the Council to retain the houses, but generate more investment finance through setting up a separate company for the Housing Service through private finance or by transferring the homes to a housing association.

Says Cllr Lemmon “Sometime in Spring 2009, it is anticipated that the findings of the review will be known.We are completely open-minded on this issue and our tenants can be assured that their best interests are at the heart of the review and that any decision to change ownership of the properties will rest with them.