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Warm welcome for Housing Minister
Reporter: Beatriz Ayala
Date online: 16 April 2010
HOUSING Minister John Healey was given a warm Oldham welcome when he visited First Choice Homes (FCH) tenants.
The parliamentary candidate for Wentworth enjoyed a chat with tenants and a tour of the newly-refurbished Littlemoor House, off Huddersfield Road.
His visit was on the back of the successful transfer of Oldham Council housing to First Choice Homes after tenants voted in favour of the change over.
A total of £148 million will now be invested in homes and services across Oldham over the next five years and around 12,000 homes directly benefiting.
Mr Healey said: “I’m here to celebrate the success of the ballot, the tenants choice and success of Phil Woolas’s campaign to bring £148 million of investment to council homes.
“Littlemoor House has been refurbished and residents in other blocks can now look forward to their flats being improved in some way.
“I’ve had a warm welcome from tenants on a very cold day. It is the tenants that are right to decide their own future.”
Hugh Broadbent, FCH chief executive, said: “It is nice to be recognised as the first arm’s-length organisations in the country to go through stock transfer.
“The transfer means we can become a housing association and will be able to raise more funds for more schemes, such as improving tenants kitchens and bathrooms that tenants asked for.”
Phil Woolas, Labour candidate for Oldham East and Saddleworth, said: “I lobbied for this stock transfer facility, supported it and persuaded John Healey it was necessary.
“Before, FCH had an annual spend of £9 million a year, now they are able to raise £20 million a year.”
Catch up the with candidates at www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/elections/
Comments
Phil Woolas, Labour candidate for Oldham East and Saddleworth, said: “I lobbied for this stock transfer facility, supported it and persuaded John Healey it was necessary. BECAUSE Oldham COUNCIL WAS SO INCOMPETENT AND WE CAN REMOVE OUR SOCIAL RISK, DESPITE ALL THE REPORTS STATING THAT SOCIAL LANDLORD WERE NOT VALUE FOR MONEY WE WON.
Phil Woolas, the tenants and the council are right that this will bring massive amounts of new money, £148 million in 1st 5 years, into "council" houses without costing the council tax payers.
Seems simple to me and most others who voted, so get real Keith and stop whinging
Have Your Say
Woolas says "FCH had an annual spend of £9 million a year, now they are able to raise £20 million a year." That's because his government artificially prevented local authorities from borrowing properly but let housing associations borrow as they wish. Of course they can not borrow more woolas, you prevented them before! The transfer was a total farce. Of course people voted for it, they had no choice. Not all revenue generated from rents is spent on housing. Typical Labour really.
By OldhamWatcher @ 16/04/2010 12:39:19