Commissioners in the west of the island are investigating the possibility of creating a new joint-housing committee.

Talks were held in July between the Department of Infrastructure and several local authorities about the proposal.

It would mean all public sector homes in the area would be administered by a central board comprising members from each authority.

The chairman of Peel Commissioners, Alan Jones, said terms of reference are now being drafted, after a way forward was agreed between all parties.

He believes a shared board administering public sector homes in the west would bring a ’local touch’ to the service, and lead to shared waiting lists.

Commissioners in the area already work together to provide sheltered housing.

Similar joint authorities already exist in other parts of the island.

For example, in the south, there is combined public housing list covering the local authority areas of Arbory, Castletown, Malew, Port Erin, Port St Mary, Rushen and Santon.

The idea was first mooted in a government housing review back in 2013.

Meanwhile, Peel Commissioners will continue to manage 20 government-owned properties following a successful pilot scheme.

Trial

The public sector homes at Carmane Close and Derby Drive have been managed by the local authority since 2017, as part of a two-year trial.

The trial has now been extended by the Department of Infrastructure. Before the trial began, the authority said that it wanted to administer more of the public sector housing in the town.

Peel Commissioners manage and maintain about 350 public sector houses.

It collects rents, supervises tenants and allocates properties.

Mr Jones said the transfer from the department was smooth, and has worked well.

He said it forms part of a greater ambition amongst authorities in the west of the island to see further housing passed over by the department.