The annual survey of Council tenants in York has confirmed that the vast majority remain happy with most aspects of the service.

The biggest change came on replies to a question which asked tenants whether they were satisfied with opportunities to be involved with management and decision making.
This fell by 5 points with only 53% now satisfied with arrangements.

Although the survey was aimed specifically at relations with the Councils Housing Department, the poor response is likely to reflect a more general anger with the council about consultation arrangements – most of which have virtually collapsed over recent months.

When last in power, in the early part of the last decade, Labour started a process which might have led to Council Housing in York being hived off under an independent management arrangement.
In Leeds, Labour implemented their plans in 2003. The responsibility for managing homes owned by Leeds City Council transferred to an ‘Arms Length Management Organisations’ (ALMOs).

An Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) is a not-for-profit company set up by the Council to manage and improve the housing stock. Although an ALMO is a company wholly owned by the local authority, it is an autonomous self-governing organisation. The organisation operates under the terms of a management agreement between the Council and the ALMO.

In York the local authority passed into Liberal Democrat control in 2003 and plans to set up an ALMO in the City were scrapped. The Council went on to modernise all their properties before the 2010 deadline for “decent” homes.

The last tenant satisfaction survey published by Leeds revealed that 71% were satisfied with the services provided by the ALMO. This compares to an 89% satisfaction rating with Council housing in York.

It remains to be seen whether the Labour administration in York will resurrect their plans to hive off local Council housing into either an ALMO or a Housing Association.

NB. The Council survey asked respondents about their race, religion etc. The majority of respondents were white British females. 37% had a disability and 34% were aged over 65. 2/3 described their religion as Christian.