Housing

A public meeting for tenants and trade unionists supported by Lambeth Unison and Lambeth Defend Council Housing.

organised by Defend Council Housing

March 8th at Parliament – come and support ‘Fourth Option’

The House of Commons Council Housing group is holding a further session to collect evidence of support for the ‘fourth option’ from 12-4pm on March 8th at Parliament (Jubilee Room, St. Stephens Entrance, House of Commons).

Please organise a broad delegation from your area – involving where possible tenants, councillors and trade unionists – and come to Parliament to contribute to the inquiry.

Contact your MPs and ask them to attend too to hear the evidence and show their support for real choice for council tenants. Please also ask them to sign the current motion in Parliament: EDM 193 ‘Future for Council Housing’.

The ODPM has just released the list of applicants for the next round of transfers and ALMOs. They could only find 38 councils – and many of these will face stiff resistance from their tenants. A growing number of councils are declaring in favour of stock retention. Another 125 are dragging their feet – putting off making any decision – sensing that the government is going to have to give way. New eight page newspaper tells the latest story – order for your area (£18 per 100 / £100 per 1000).

This puts the government’s policy in real trouble.

Chartered Institute of Housing policy adviser John Perry described the scale of the problem. He said: ‘I would expect the ODPM to be concerned that this level of applications may not be high enough to deliver the target unless it really does reflect a lot of authorities expecting to do so by retaining their stock and using normal investment.’ (Inside Housing 11 Feb 2005).

The ODPM is desperately trying to exert pressure to get through more sell-offs, PFI or ALMOs. A tenant rep from North Tyneside has exposed an email conversation between two senior officials at the ODPM discussing "The Labour councillors want retention and are spoiling for a fight." … "I think we need a political heavyweight to call their house to order.”

This is not an acceptable state of affairs, is a long way from the fair and balanced debate that tenants deserve and certainly does not offer tenants ‘real choice’ as Ministers pretend.

Prescott is desperately trying to shake off the commitment he made at last September’s Labour Party conference but few think his current public position is sustainable. He is being lobbied hard in public and in private. Use the ‘A promise is a promise’ open letter (back of broadsheet) to get tenants, councillors and trade unionists to add to the pressure.

Let us know what is happening in your area – we can help with local leaflets and provide speakers and advice.

Come to Parliament on March 8
Get your MP to sign EDM 193 Future for Council Housing
Order copies of the new broadsheet (£18 per 100 / £100 per 1000)
Get signatures to the ‘A promise is a promise’ open letter
Further information on House of Commons Council Housing Group inquiry from Austin Mitchell MP, House of Commons, London SW1 phone 020 7219 4559

Good letters page in Guardian yesterday following Polly Toynbee article last week. You’d think journalists would get their facts right!