Bracknell

All Bracknell Forest tenants and leaseholders are invited to visit roadshows in Bracknell town centre to find out more about the future of council owned homes and housing services. The first roadshow is Saturday February 11, from 9am to 5pm.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council is hosting the events in Princess Square shopping centre in the coming months to provide information and answer questions about what will happen to Bracknell borough's housing in the future. Tenants and leaseholders will be provided with information about what will happen if housing continues to be owned and managed by the Council, compared to what could be offered by a Bracknell Forest-based housing association.

Come along to first floor of Princess Square shopping centre in Bracknell town centre on:

* Saturday February 11, 9am to 5pm
* Friday March 10, 9am to 5pm
* Friday April 7, 9am to 5pm

The Council is required by the Government to ensure its houses meet the Decent Homes Standard - a basic standard - by 2010.

However, it is £8million short of meeting this standard, which would need to be covered by money currently spent on other services such as roads and schools.

The Decent Homes Standard also does not meet the improvements tenants have said they want to see in their homes. A detailed survey carried out by the Council with tenants has produced the Bracknell Forest Standard - a higher level of improvements.

The Council does not have the money to make these improvements. However, a Bracknell Forest-based housing association would be able to.

This is because £9million (half) of tenants' rent money is currently taken by the Government to be redistributed in other areas of the country. A housing association would not be bound by these rules and would be able to keep the £9million to make improvements to Bracknell Forest homes.

If you would like more information on the Your Homes: the Way Forward project please telephone 01344 351420.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council