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Chorley & District Trade Union Council -
Press Release 4/07/05 Dear Editor, Chorley Trades Union Council would like to make a plea through your website for some democratic balance in Chorley Borough Councils plans to privatise its housing stock. From what we can gather the Council have only voted to let tenants decide who they want to be their landlord in the future, before tenants do vote they should be aware of how this Labour Government are forcing this privatisation on the Council. Firstly the Government takes 1.6 million a year of council rents and put this in a central pool to subsidise other housing needs. This is taking from some of the neediest in our communities and giving the money to other needy communities. If the council loose the ballot and people vote to stay with them the Council will foot the bill, if tenants vote for privatisation the government pays the bill. The government set minimum rents nationally but not maximum rents so there may be big rent rises. Tenants should also be aware of the service charges that are just rent rises in another form. Tenants will go from a secured agreement to an assured agreement which basically means tenancy conditions can be changed without consultation and agreement from tenants The government will not let Councils borrow money on this asset but privatised housing associations can. Many of the council workers who maintain the properties face an insecure future that could result in redundancy. If tenants vote for privatisation of their homes the Housing Association can keep all the money and borrow more. We at Chorley Trade Union Council want the government to offer a fourth option which was agreed at Labour Party conference that will allow Councils to develop and protect our publicly owned homes on the same terms as privatised companies. Throughout the country council house privatisation is facing massive opposition, the promise of milk and honey today for council house tenants to support stock transfers is seen as a nothing more than sham. Many tenants who have seen their housing privatised have increased charges levied against them for example rent increased by eight times more than inflation, introduction of parking charges. Chorley & District Trade Union Council intend to support all those tenant, council workers and members of the public who oppose the privatisation of the council housing. To join our campaign please contact;
Tele : 07859369492 |