Housing stock-“We’re getting better” says councillor

THERE has been a major turnaround in the time Thurrock Council’s housing team takes re-letting its homes — but more improvement is needed.

Cllr Val Morris-Cook, the council’s portfolio holder for housing, was speaking at Wednesday (12 September) evening’s meeting of the cabinet.

She said: “When I took over this portfolio I was shocked by the time taken between a tenant leaving a home and it being made ready for a new one. It’s getting better, but it’s still not good enough.

“In June it was running at a 37-day average, compared to over a hundred days in the two previous months. It is actually well below the target, but anyone with a modicum of common sense knows that it shouldn’t take that long.

“Occasionally there will be issues. I can accept that and the report details some of them — structural problems in the main, but some long-standing voids that have been taking time to sort out. But the time for excuses is over.

“As well as meeting weekly to discuss the situation, we are putting together a specialist team and we are working closely with Morrison. The first two dozen homes they dealt with took an average of 12 days for building works and six for advertising. That’s more like it.

“However, this does come with a word of warning. The 12-month figures will continue to look high until the 100-plus day average months have worked their way through the system. The good thing is that we are getting there and that shows we are working to give our tenants the first class and speedy service they deserve.”