THE Yorkshire coast could receive £55m for social housing over the next five years.

The investment depends on tenants voting to support a transfer of ownership from Scarborough Borough Council to Yorkshire Coast Homes.

The council's cabinet is to decide next week whether to ballot all tenants on the transfer of the council's 4,600 housing stock to the newly formed housing association.

Members aim to bring all homes in the borough up to modern standards and increase tenant involvement in running the housing service, said Steve Oldridge, the council's director of housing.

He said: "The council has always tried to provide good housing but we cannot spend the amount of money needed to bring all properties up to modern standards in an acceptable time. We believe that transfer to Yorkshire Coast Homes is the best way forward."