Anniversary spat over FCHO

Oldham Council meeting
COUNCILLORS came to blows over the success of First Choice Homes (FCHO) exactly one year on from the housing stock transfer.

Installation of new kitchens, bathrooms and central heating upgrades in properties were heralded as all-encompassing success by Lib-Dem councillor John McCann.

He argued that the move to transfer almost 12,000 council houses to the control of First Choice Homes had locked in £149 million worth of investment over the coming five years.

He proposed the council note the “hugely successful” implementation of improvements and that Council chief executive Charlie Parker write to FCHO to congratulate it on its achievements.

However he lashed out at Labour councillors for not supporting the move this time last year.

He said: “I would think everyone would have supported such large amounts of money being brought into the borough, but the amazing thing is that every Labour councillor in Oldham voted against all the improvements.”

Labour councillor Peter Dean proposed to amend the thanks, putting forward a word of caution.

He said: “I appreciate progress has gone ahead but it has done so with problems.

“Some tenants were promised works would take a fortnight and are now waiting six to eight weeks.

“People are living in these homes, some without cookers, sink and washers for weeks.

“We wanted to work with more than one provider but we never got the option.”

What was called a “watered down” gesture was moved by the council to note FCHO had made good progress to date.