Bolton tenants vote for stock transfer
Bolton council tenants have voted to transfer their homes to a housing association.
In an independent ballot, 76 per cent of tenants voted to transfer their homes, which are currently managed by arm’s-length management organisation Bolton at Home, out of council control.
Bolton at Home will become a housing association responsible for spending around £124 million on Bolton’s homes and estates over the next five years. Under current rules on council finance, £288 million of housing debt would be written off, and the new landlord would invest £1.2 billion in its properties over the next 30 years.
The council’s executive still has to approve the stock transfer plans before working out the terms with Bolton at Home.
Council leader Cliff Morris said: ‘The executive will now consider a formal proposal to transfer the ownership of homes from the council to Bolton at Home on the basis that the existing rules for writing off the debt still apply.
‘We have said all along that the reason we’re considering this proposal is to ensure that we can get extra funding for tenants’ homes.’
Noel Spencer, chair of Bolton at Home, said: ‘We understand that some people have concerns and we would like to reassure them that, if the executive vote to transfer, then we will be working hard to deliver on the commitments made to tenants in the formal offer document.’
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Readers' comments (5)
Anonymous | 02/08/2010 4:06 pm
Ah, '2 stage Privatisation' as Defend Council Housing would say....
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Sidney Webb | 02/08/2010 4:16 pm
A minority vote (only 76%) as Shapps localism definition would say!
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michael barratt | 02/08/2010 4:35 pm
SEE www.indoubt.co.uk - The unjust privatisation continues
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Anonymous | 02/08/2010 4:44 pm
76% of a 56% turnout, 42% overall, pretty good for this type of thing. Be interesting to see what the smallprint will say on the 90% rule on localism. AS PSR suggests, 90% either way coudl be difficult....
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| 03/08/2010 0:48 am
I guess that's fine if most of the RTB properties sold were freehold houses and consequently are nothing at all to do with either the Council or the ALMO anymore, having left the social housing sector entirely. But if there are RTB leasehold flats present, did the leaseholders get a vote? Evidence suggests that RTB leaseholders should avoid LSVT to HA, either directly or via the sneaky ALMO first route, as the consequences are even worth than staying with the ALMO/LA, see posts passim....
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