Colchester's 10,000 council house tenants are to be asked about who they want to be their landlord.

People will be balloted to find out if they want Colchester Council to continue being involved with running services in a huge shake-up in its housing policy.

Top councillors gave their backing to plans to set up a body, or arms-length management organisation (Almo), to run housing services.

While being a separate organisation, it would remain under the council's control, but tenants will have to be quizzed first to find out what they want to be done.

If they agree to the Almo being established, it would mean the authority would be in line for an extra £12.2million handout for housing services by the Government.

The council's cabinet warned large changes would be necessary if tenants voted against it.

Without the cash from an Almo, there would not be enough money in the budget to continue running services how they were currently.

The only other option would be to transfer all the council's 7,000 properties to a housing association - giving tenants new landlords, said councillors.

Robert Davidson, the housing portfolio holder, said: "This is the only way Colchester Council can continue to look after its own tenants."

All members also agreed to promote the benefits of an Almo in their wards prior to the vote.

Published Monday, May 26, 2003

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