Tenants not given facts

OLDHAM MPs have hit back at a local councillor as tenants prepare to vote over the transfer of the town’s council house stock to First Choice Homes.

Michael Meacher, who covers Oldham West and Royton, and David Heyes, whose constituency inc-ludes Failsworth and Hollinwood, first aired their concerns in a Chronicle feature earlier this month.

Councillor John McCann, cabinet member for housing, responded to their criticism but the MPs say he didn’t answer any of their questions.

The pair say: “We have never objected to Oldham’s tenants being given a choice about their future. Our argument is that they have not been given a choice and they are not being told the truth. Cllr McCann’s response is simply bluster and does not answer a single specific objection raised.

“Before tenants vote, they should ask themselves: -

::Why in the case of the Limehurst and Fitton Hill stock transfers was there a competitive process for the takeover, so that tenants could choose who they wanted as their landlord, based on their different offers, but here there is no choice?

::The minister, John Healey, has expressly said that tenants should be given an option of voting for a new system of self-financing as an alternative to transferring to what will essentially be a private company, First Choice Homes Oldham. So why has the ballot been pushed through before John Healey published his self-financing proposals on March 26?

::If Oldham’s housing debt of £214 million can be written off if the transfer takes place, why can’t tenants have the option of having the debt written off (and therefore their home improvements funded) whilst staying with the council, if that is their preference?

::Councillor McCann says “tenants have been presented with a formal offer document which explains all the pros and cons of the transfer”. That is completely untrue. Why is there not a single contrary point in the entire document when there are in fact so many downsides?

::Why are only 5,000 homes being offered new kitchens and bathrooms while the other 7,000 of First Choice Homes properties will get nothing, when in previous stock transfers all of the homes were renovated?

::Why have the tenants not been told that if the stock transfer takes place 3,000 tenants on district and group heating schemes will be penalised by higher fuel charges of £1.50 for each dwelling because of the rise in VAT, whereas if they stayed with the council they would not have to pay this?

::Why have the tenants not been told that the very recent Audit Report found organisations such as First Choice Homes Oldham were poor value for money compared to Councils who manage their own housing stock?

The pair have urged Housing Minister John Healey to postpone the vote until all these concerns have been ironed out.