TENANTS in Redcar and Cleveland are being balloted on the future management of their homes.

It follows a proposal by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to transfer the ownership and management of 12,000 council homes in the borough to Coast and Country Housing.

That would be a new independent not-for-profit housing organisation, which could access money for repairs that is not open to the council.

A postal ballot has begun for tenants to decide if they want to go ahead with the plans following a public consultation exercise.

The council insisted that the transfer would only go ahead if the majority of residents vote in favour of the scheme.

Iain Sim, director of housing at the council, said: "This is the most important decision tenants will ever make about the future of their homes and housing services."

The ballot will end on August 22 and the result will be announced shortly afterwards in a newsletter.