Housing transfer go-ahead

A year-long campaign to transfer Oldham Council’s housing stock into private hands has been given the go-ahead.

Tenants will be balloted over transferring ownership of the council’s homes to First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO), which wants to become a housing association taking over the ownership and management of 12,500 houses and flats.

The move was announced by Housing minister John Healey last night.

If the transfer went ahead it would mean £149 million will be invested in homes and services over the next five years — significantly more than Oldham Council has admitted it can afford.

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Phil Woolas said: “It means we can start to spend money on new houses and improvements to existing houses which we need, but it is dependent on a ballot of tenants and they will have the final say.

Transfer would only go ahead if the majority of votes cast are in favour of the scheme.

Mr Healey said the Homes and Communities Agency would ensure the consultation exercise and ballot were “balanced, neutral and factual.”

Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher said questions needed to be answered before the ballot took place.

He said: “It is not the way to handle the need for housing. The tenants should be careful before moving outside the council control.

“There would be no public accountability if things go wrong.”