Sandwell Council in homes move

A total of 29,000 homes in Sandwell will be returned to council control for the first time in eight years.

Sandwell Council has agreed the landmark decision to axe the arms-length organisation Sandwell Homes in moves that are expected to save the authority up to £4 million a year as it battles to curb spending.

Plans to bring homes back under council control were announced following the Government's decision to cut the Decent Homes programme to bring council homes up to standard.

Sandwell Homes' currently employ 1,000 staff, and a 90-day consultation has now started with trade unions to ensure the smooth transfer of workers over to the council.

The consultation will also see the setting up of a project team to manage the transfer.

Sandwell Homes' staff and services will return to the council's direct control at the start of the new year.

The council believes that money saved by returning the organisation to its control will mean more funds can be spent on improving homes. The savings will form part of a new £490 million 10-year housing investment plan to see new houses built and 7,000 homes improved. New council houses will also be built every year.

The move follows an independently-led consultation. The council states that two thirds of the 1,500 tenants who responded in the consultation either supported or were neutral.

But bosses of the six borough housing service panels have criticised the way the consultation was run saying it has not followed government guidance. Housing boss Councillor Simon Hackett, said: "For the first time in a generation the council will build new council houses year on year starting this financial year."