Hereward Housing has been chosen to work with a council and its tenants in creating a new landlord for its housing stock. A cross-party panel including tenants as well as councillors and staff selected Hereward from a shortlist of housing associations as the preferred partner for Rochford District Council in Essex.

The panel felt Hereward had the right experience to help Rochford DC tenants. The full Council then met in Rayleigh on 26 January and unanimously supported the decision of the panel. Now Rochford District Council will work with tenants and Hereward in developing a proposal for the possible future ownership and management of the council’s homes.

The final decision will rest with the Rochford tenants who will vote in a secret ballot later this year and the transfer will only take place if a majority of those who vote are in favour of the proposal. If the vote is in favour then a new housing association, which will be a subsidiary of Hereward, will be formed and will own and manage homes around the Essex towns of Rochford and Rayleigh.