COUNCIL tenants in Maidstone have voted in favour of transferring the ownership and management of their homes to a housing trust.

In a secret postal ballot, 61.3 per cent backed the switch with 38.7 per cent voting against--a complete turnaround on a similar poll ten years ago. Turnout was 70.01 per cent.

The result of the poll, by the independent voting watchdogs Electoral Reform Services, means 6,500 homes are on course to transfer from Maidstone Borough Council to the not-for-profit Maidstone Housing Trust later this year.

Councillors will decide next week whether to seek final approval from Deputy Prime-minister John Prescott. Transfer will take place in November, if he backs the plan.

Maidstone Housing Trust is committed to spending more than £50 million on repairs and improvements during the first five years, if transfer goes ahead as planned.

Tenants have also been promised a five-year rent guarantee with assurances that any future increases will be kept affordable.