Housing services in Gateshead could be coming back under council control.
Gateshead Council's cabinet agreed yesterday to consult on proposals to bring housing services across the Gateshead Housing Company and the council back together.
The follows an independent review housing in the borough, currently provided by Gateshead Housing Company, who have been managing homes for more than 18,000 social tenants on behalf of the council since 2004.
This means the council is now beginning a formal consultation on bringing back responsibility for the management and maintenance of the housing stock to the authority.
The review said this will ensure the long-term sustainability of the council’s housing stock and so that residents can access good quality housing both now and in the future.
Coun John Adams, cabinet member for housing said: “The Gateshead Housing Company was set up in 2004 to help unlock funding through the Government’s Decent Homes Programme which has now ended.
"While that was the best option at the time, we now need to look at new, more cost-effective and efficient ways to deliver the best service we can for tenants.
“Over the last eight months, we have reviewed all options available to us and we feel that bringing the council’s housing stock under our control will achieve the best outcomes for local people that are fully aligned with our priorities.
"This will mean that we can focus on what matters most, providing good quality housing with a mix of tenures and affordable options that meet the needs of local people including families and older people enabling them to live healthy lives and to make healthy choices, preventing ill health.
“We also believe that this will be the most effective way of driving through the improvements in our housing stock that our residents want to see and will give us the opportunity to use our collective resources to provide good quality, affordable social housing for our existing and future tenants. Housing that meets the needs of all local people including families and older people enabling them to thrive.”
Chairman of the Gateshead Housing Company Jim Coulter welcomed the outcome of the review.
"We look forward to working with the council to create the new service, building on the work to develop excellent services over the last 16 years," he added.
A detailed business plan will now be developed to support the proposals and a comprehensive consultation with employees, trade unions, tenants and stakeholders will now begin.
