THE Office of Fair Trading will not be taking action over a complaint that Warrington Borough Council’s plan to transfer 8,600 council homes to a registered social landlord are anti-competitive.
Local campaigner John Mulhall reported the authority to the OFT last month over its proposals to transfer the properties to a reconstituted Golden Gates Housing.
He claimed the council had set aside £700,000 to consult tenants via “very expensive advisers.”
He said: “The council’s housing stock is managed by an arms length management organisation that belongs to the council.
“The council, the government etc., have allowed this to be a one horse race – no others can bid or tender to manage the future of the housing stock.”
He asked the OFT to consider whether this is “unfair” given the Government’s policy on competitive tendering.
But the OFT have told him it has no role in enforcement of public tendering processes and procedures, nor in ensuring the fairness of tendering processes issued by government departments and local authorities.
Mr Mulhall says many tenants are unhappy with the consultation process adopted by the council and will not vote.
He claims the council has ignored the most recent government advice on the issue, which was issued after the consultation process had started.
The council says it has followed government guidelines at every stage, working closely with the Homes and Communities Agency and the Department of Communities and Local Government .
At no stage have they been notified of any concerns about the procedures followed, a spokeswoman said
THE Office of Fair Trading will not be taking action over a complaint
that Warrington Borough Council's plan to transfer 8,600 council homes
to a registered social landlord are anti-competitive.
Council homes complaint rejected
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
