Stoke-on-Trent Housing Society has chosen the Aspire Group to
manage its 500 homes for affordable rent in Stoke-on-Trent,
Staffordshire.
The society, a housing association that provides general needs
homes, invited expressions of interest earlier this year to manage
its properties after the end of its current management agreement
with Sanctuary Housing.
The Aspire Group was selected by the board of the society and
will take over the management of the homes under a five year
contract in April 2011.
Stoke-on-Trent Housing Society will retain its full independence
and identity. It will retain ownership of its stock and
responsibility for the stock will remain with the society's board.
Seven staff will transfer employment to the Aspire Group under
protected terms and conditions and will continue to work with the
society's tenants.
The contract is a significant expansion for the Aspire Group,
which currently rents around 8,500 properties in North
Staffordshire and South Cheshire through Aspire Housing. Other
group members are training provider PM Training and the group's
charity the Realise Foundation.
It means the Aspire Group from next April will own or manage
around 9,000 homes and will have a greatly increased presence in
Stoke-on-Trent.
The society's tenants will keep the same tenancy conditions but
will receive services such as maintenance, repairs and
neighbourhood management from the Aspire Group in future. In
addition Aspire Group will provide corporate services such as
accounting and human resources.
The Aspire Group, Stoke-on-Trent Housing Society and Sanctuary
Group are now working closely together to ensure the transition to
the new arrangements is as smooth as possible.
Stoke-on-Trent Housing Society's stock includes two tower blocks
at Park Vista, Hanley; Northwood and Imperial Courts in Hanley;
Perrymount and Marchwood Courts in Penkhull; plus other properties
in Etruria and Burslem.
Consultation with the society's tenants showed 71 per cent
supported the proposal for Aspire to manage their homes.
Trevor Jones, chairman of Stoke-on-Trent Housing Society, said:
"Stoke-on-Trent Housing Society is very pleased to have selected
the Aspire Group as our management partner.
"Aspire demonstrated to us that they would provide an excellent
service for our tenants, while respecting and valuing our
independence and identity.
"We were also particularly impressed by Aspire's commitment
investing in communities, to training and to helping people into
work through PM Training.
"We look forward to working with colleagues and tenants at
Aspire to provide high quality services and opportunities for our
tenants."
Sinead Butters, Aspire Group chief executive, said: "We are
delighted to have been chosen by Stoke-on-Trent Housing Society to
manage their homes.
"We will now use the skill and knowledge we have developed in 10
years at Aspire Housing to provide excellent housing management
services for Stoke-on-Trent Housing Society's tenants.
"However, our offer is about much more than providing high
quality housing. We will also work with the society to offer
training and employment opportunities, and we will support
neighbourhood regeneration in their areas.
"For us this is a significant expansion of our work in
Stoke-on-Trent where we already own or are building 58 homes and
where PM Training is based.
"We greatly look forward to working with our partners in
Stoke-on-Trent to provide services and create employment and
training opportunities."