Housing management group Homes in Havering (HiH) will be transferred to the council on October 1.

A decision was made earlier this year to close HiH and for the council to manage all its housing services.

The move comes after a consultation with tenants and leaseholders last year and is expected to save the council �300,000 a year.

HiH was set up in 2006 when the Government rules stated that only an Arms Length Management Organisation could be awarded Decent Homes funding to refurbish council houses and flats. This was changed by the current government.

HiH staff will continue working from their officer in Harold Hill, but Cabinet member for housing, Cllr Lesley Kelly, said it was too early to say whether there will be any redundancies as a result of these changes.

She said about redundancies, “We can’t say at the moment. We have to look at the whole of the staffing and it may be that some staff are moved (within the council). At the moment it is too early to say. The tenants voted for it, and it is not a reflection on Homes in Havering.”

She added that they plan to continue listening to what residents want through residents’ forums.

She said: “We are keen to get engagement going. We had our first panel meeting in August with tenants and leaseholders.

“It is a chance for residents to have a full and frank discussion with us and what they want to see.”