ST HELENS Council is launching a major housing survey to help meet the needs of the next century.

Postal questionnaires will be sent to 9,000 households and a further 500 families will be interviewed, all picked at random from the authority's register.

Fordham Research Services has been appointed to carry out the project . All interviewers will carry a letter from the council which will explain the project along with an identity card.

Housing committee chairman Richard Ward said: "Its purpose is to collect vital information about the present and future housing needs of residents which will enable the authority to plan how best to meet needs and ensure that resources are directed to where they are most needed. All individual replies to the survey will be treated in the utmost confidence and only the overall statistics produced will be used."

The success of the project depends on the responses of those surveyed so it is hoped that as many households as possible receiving the questionnaire or visit will respond to ensure that the most accurate information is collected. For those taking part there will be the chance to win a cash prize of £100.

Added Councillor Ward: "The results should be available in June and will provide valuable information to develop and support the council's housing strategy, its planning policies and other council-wide programmes. This will be used in our annual bid for Government funding and help housing associations to bid for public money towards the cost of providing new homes where a need for them has been identified. The results will also help the council negotiate new, affordable housing with private developers."

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