Council homes transfer to go ahead

TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington have agreed to press ahead with moves to transfer the borough’s 9,000 council homes to a housing Trust – the reconstituted Golden Gates Housing.
This will involve a formal ballot of all tenants, carried out independently by a branch of the Electoral Reform Society.
But first a letter will be sent to tenants setting out the terms of the council’s proposals, giving details of tenants’ rights to object to the Secretary of State and confirming the Government’s ability to stop the transfer if a majority of tenants do not wish it to take place.
A survey of tenants carried during the first phase of the transfer process indicated that of 161 tenants who responded, 74 per cent (119) were probably in favour, 23.5 per cent (38) were not sure and 2.5 per cent (4) were probably against.
The council’s executive member for housing, Coun Bob Barr (pictured) said the proposed housing stock transfer was one of the most important issues the council was currently dealing with as it affected the living standards of some 25,000 residents.
Although indicative figures should be viewed with caution, it appeared there was significant support from tenants for the transfer.
The council forecasts that if the transfer goes ahead, the new Golden Gates Housing Trust will be about to spend £105 million on home improvements in the next five years – some £40 million more than under the present arrangement..
Over the following years, the Trust would be able to spend a further £96 million – £36 million more than under the present arrangements.
Council leader Ian Marks said he had always been in favour of a large scale stock transfer.
The move would reduce inequalities across the borough because some of the homes were in less well-off area and would benefit.