Date confirmed for update on council housing review

The Shropshire Council commissioned review is examining the future of the homes, which are mainly located in Oswestry and Bridgnorth and are currently managed by STAR Housing.

Property firm Savills has been commissioned to carry out the review, which is understood to be looking at a number of options, including the council retaining the homes, said to be worth millions of pounds, or selling them.

Throughout the process the council has said that tenants' homes are not at risk as a result of the review.

A report on the findings was expected earlier this year but Shropshire Council's cabinet asked for Savills to carry out more work on the project.

A recommendation on a decision over the homes is not expected until "early next year".

The progress in the review will be discussed at a behind-closed-doors session of the cabinet on January 17.

Councillor Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s deputy cabinet member for housing, said: “We are continuing our work with property expert Savills to ensure that we have enough of the right housing for the people of Shropshire, both now and in the future. The report to cabinet in January will provide councillors with an update on the progress of this work, which is expected to be completed early next year.

“We know that our tenants' homes are important to them and, once again, we want to reassure them that their homes are not at risk as a result of this review.”

Earlier this year the council said that a valuation of the homes of around £180 million, which was included in an auditors statement, did not reflect the amount it would receive if they were sold.

The most recent valuation from March put the price at £470.5 million, although that figure does not reflect the true value as it is the assessment based on vacant homes at open market value.

The more accurate value is “existing use” figure, which came out at £188.2 million and includes the protected tenants and tenancies.

But that amount is not the figure the council would receive for any sale as it does not take into account a number of factors such as historic housing debt or the condition of the homes.