Stock Transfer

The Welsh Assembly Government have created the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS), which states that councils must improve their stock by 2012. They are to do this by whatever means possible, one of the options being to enter into a Stock Transfer agreement with housing associations.

In Blaenau Gwent

The ballot of Blaenau Gwent tenants on the Council's proposals to transfer the ownership and management of its 6,300 properties to Tai Calon Community Housing officially ended at noon on Thursday 23rd July.  The results are as follows:

A total of 57.1% of tenants voted in the ballot, with 72.9% of those voting in favour of transfer and 27.1% voting against.

It is estimated transfer will take place around 9 - 12 months after ballot, as there is a huge amount of preparation work required during this period.  If you would like further information about the process please contact the project team on freephone 0800 378 3616.

What Transfer Means For Tenants

Tai Calon Community Housing plans to invest around £111 million in the first five years after transfer, which is needed to bring homes up to the Welsh Housing Quality Standard. The Council estimates it could only afford around £28 million over the same period of time. The table below shows the work that Tai Calon Community Housing plans to do in the first five years after transfer in comparison to the work the Council estimates it would be able to do. Tenants would not be charged any extra for any of these improvements.

Tai Calon

Following a strong vote in favour of transfer in the tenants’ ballot, their priority now is to complete the recruitment of their key senior management team members. As you would expect, the senior management team will be responsible for overseeing all arrangements required to secure a successful transfer from Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council later this year and subsequently ensuring all promises made to tenants in the formal stock transfer consultation are delivered on time and within budget.

"We were fortunate in having strong support for transfer on the Council as well as a balanced, open and transparent campaign."

The process of Stock Transfer has by its very nature been long and exhaustive, from the early consideration of all the options for the future of the Council’s housing stock through to the successful ballot and beyond. The Shadow Board of tenants, elected members and independents has worked throughout with Council staff and advisors to develop a successful organisation. Tai Calon have been conscious of the need to create an organisation that reflects the unique challenges that we face.

The new organisation will receive over 6,300 homes from Blaenau Gwent Council by the end of June, 2010. This follows a successful ballot result announced in July 2009 when 72.9% of tenants who voted supported the establishment of the new organisation.