The houses will be owned by a not-for-profit association

The controversial handover to a city-wide housing association will take place within days.

Glasgow City Council's leader, Councillor Charlie Gordon, said the scheme would "regenerate and improve the face of our city".

Last year a postal ballot of council tenants received 50,082 responses, with 58% voting in favour of the transfer.

Housing debt

Opponents claimed this did not represent a mandate as more than 35% of the 77,807 ballot papers sent out to tenants were not completed.

The not-for-profit Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) has promised to carry out repairs worth �1.8bn over 10 years.

The Treasury has also agreed to write off �900m in housing debt built up by the city council.

The transfer had initially been due to be completed by the end of last year.

The city council has been campaigning for years to have the historic housing debt written off Cllr Charlie Gordon

It was finally signed off by First Minister Jack McConnell on Tuesday.

He said: "I am delighted to approve the transfer of Glasgow's council housing stock to the GHA - a move which paves the way for the handover later this week.

"This is one of the largest public sector modernisation projects in Europe.

"The transfer will unlock massive investment in some of the city's most deprived communities.

"It will lead to the creation of thousands of new jobs and apprenticeships - and tenants can look forward to getting the warm, dry, affordable homes they deserve."

Promises made

He said the move would also give residents "direct responsibility" for their homes and environment.

Cllr Gordon assured tenants that the promises made at the time of last April's ballot remained.

"The city council has been campaigning for years to have the historic housing debt written off," he said.