BOROUGH councillors have finally given the go-ahead for the transfer of over 6,000 council homes to the new Maidstone Housing Trust.

The switch should have taken place in November but was delayed while costs resulting from a last minute tax glitch were investigated.

Questions were also raised about Maidstone council's ability to meet a commitment to build 200 new affordable homes over the next five years.

Maidstone Housing Trust has promised to spend £50.7 million by 2009 on improving and modernising its newly acquired housing stock.

It has also agreed proposals, put before tenants in a ballot last year, to spend millions redeveloping parts of Park Wood and the Coombe Farm estate.

A decade ago similar proposals were thrown out after tenants voted down the plans following a strong anti-transfer campaign.

However in March last year 61.3 percent of tenants backed the updated proposals in a borough wide ballot with 38.7 voting against.

Maidstone council leader Mick Stevens (Lib Dem) described the decision as a momentous event after what had been a tortuous and, at times, frustrating two years.

Cllr Stevens said: "For some amongst us it has been quite a tongue biting experience with some really strong political principles on all sides having to be set aside."