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Cestria Community Housing has officially taken over Chester-le-Street District Council’s homes – unlocking a multi million pound investment programme.
Cestria Community Housing has officially taken over Chester-le-Street District Council’s homes – unlocking a multi million pound investment programme.
The new, independent, not-for-profit, local housing association took over the ownership and management of the Council’s 4,500 homes today following a Yes vote in March 2007.
Cestria Community Housing is the latest housing association to be set up by housing transfer in the North East. Other transfer housing associations in the region include Derwentside Homes in Derwentside, Housing Hartlepool in Hartlepool and Coast and Country Housing in Redcar and Cleveland.
Transfer to Cestria Community Housing now means tenants’ homes will get the repairs and improvements they need to bring them up to modern standards: 3,000 homes will benefit from new doors and window and 1000 from new central heating systems in the first two years. Money will also be available to invest to improve services too.
To make the transfer a success, Cestria Community Housing will also get a £39 million windfall from the Government – one of the biggest funding packages to a housing association set up by transfer in the last 12 months.
The cash boost will be used to help pay for improvements to homes and services – and is in addition to the money Cestria Community Housing will get from rent and borrowing.
The Council, like many other local authorities around the country, had to apply for the money as part of their housing transfer proposals. It negotiated with the Government for several months to secure the money.
Cestria Community Housing chairman Paul Tinnion said: “We are delighted to mark the official transfer of homes to Cestria Community Housing.
“There is no doubt transfer will have a big effect on the lives of tenants and the future looks very exciting.
“Everyone connected with Cestria Community Housing is looking forward to delivering the promises made to tenants and giving them the improved homes and services they voted for in the ballot.”
Cestria Community Housing Chief Executive Ian Broughton said: “A lot of hard work has taken place to ensure that we have reached this point. But now the hard work really starts.
“We will be hitting the ground running in the months ahead to ensure that the promises made to tenants before the ballot are met.”
Council Leader Councillor Linda Ebbatson said: “Tenants voted for the new start that Cestria Community Housing could bring.
“We look forward to working with Cestria Community Housing to create a brighter future for the District.” |
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Posted by Kim for Cestria Community Housing Association |
Further reading:  http://www.cestria.org/CurrentNewsDetail/tabid/95/NewsID/7/Default.aspx... |
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