Kingston Council is weighing up whether to axe its entire housing services department and outsource the jobs to a private company because of funding cuts.

Councillors have also approved the beginning of the implementation of the government’s Pay to Stay scheme, which will see rent rise for the borough’s higher-earning council tenants.

Two options of how to meet the rising demand for housing have been put forward, including whether or not to outsource the department or make cuts, including reducing its staff and making changes to maintenance contracts.

Friday, November 13: £20,000 spent on "roadshow" for scrapped Community Housing Trust by Kingston Council

Thursday, December 31: 'Worse than expected': Kingston faces huge Government cuts over next four years

Saturday, July 2: Proposed care fee hike 'is an attack on the vulnerable', campaigners claim

Currently 140 members of staff are employed in the department.

Last year, Kingston Council ordered a full review of housing services, and planned to ask tenants to take on the management of estates in a community housing trust.

The scheme was scrapped because of government cuts, with £20,000 having already been spent on a related roadshow.

Cllr Cathy Roberts, cabinet member with responsibility for housing, said:

“Changes are needed because, quite simply, the council has to deliver more with less money.

“This doesn’t affect your home or rights as council tenants but potentially it will change how you will interact with the service and who delivers the support you need from the service.”

The change will not affect people’s tenancies or leasehold agreements.

The options

  • Option one: "The council will continue to manage housing services and staff, but will have to introduce new ways of working, whilst striving to maintain a high quality of customer service.

"To deliver housing services on a smaller and more efficient budget, the council will consider all areas of how it manages services. This may include office accommodation, staffing levels and the terms and conditions of its maintenance contracts."

  • Option two: "An external organisation will manage some or all housing services with their own staff, but the council will continue to act as landlord.

"Staff currently employed by the council could transfer into the employment of the new organisation. Specifications for the new housing service will be developed and managed by the council according to the needs of the service."

A council spokeswoman said: "As a decision about the future of housing services is yet to be made, there are no jobs at risk at this point, and no redundancy notices have been issued."

A consultation has been launched into the council’s housing policy, which closes on Friday, October 21.

For more information visit kingston.gov.uk.

Separately, councillors also met at the Guildhall on September 13 to agree the timescale for introducing the Pay to Stay scheme.

Under the scheme, households with a combined income of more than £40,000 will pay up to 15 per cent extra rent, with the policy coming into effect in April next year. Receipts from the scheme will go directly to the Treasury.

Liberal Democrat councillors presented an amendment at the meeting urging the council to write to the government to delay enforcing the Pay to Stay scheme.

The amendment was rejected by four votes to three.

Cllr Patricia Bamford said: “This Tory policy is just going to cause anxiety, uncertainty and additional costs for some hard working Kingston families.

“What will happen to residents who cannot afford these hikes – are they going to be forced to leave their home and community?”

The government hopes the money saved by councils by removing this subsidy will help contribute to the government’s £12 billion of welfare savings.

The scheme was introduced by former housing minister Brandon Lewis last year, who said: “It’s not fair that other hard-working people are subsidising the lifestyles of higher earners.