Letters
Sedgefield homes
I WOULD like to thank Vanessa
Huggins (HAS May 9) for writing.
She is correct in stating neither
Vince Crosby nor myself were
elected to the new authority for
County Durham.
The great thing about this
country of ours is democracy - the
right for individuals to decide.
Leading up to the election,
Councillor Crosby in Newton
Aycliffe and myself in Spennymoor
spoke to thousands of people. Not
one said we would not receive their
support because of possible council
housing stock transfer to a housing
association.
While Ms Huggins is vehemently
against any such move - and this is
her choice - tenant consultation
highlights that she is in the
minority.
Sedgefield Borough Council wrote
to every tenant last year asking if
they were in favour of the council
looking again at a standalone
housing association. Just under 75
per cent of those who replied said
they were. We have acted upon this
and each tenant will be able to vote
later this year on the issue. The
decision rests with them.
I believe transfer is the way ahead.
If tenants vote "yes", around £100m
would be spent on their homes and
estates in the first five years after
transfer. That is £65m more than the
council would be able to spend.
In my opinion, this will result in a
great future for our tenants.
Agnes Armstrong, Leader of
Sedgefield Borough Council.
1:07pm Wednesday 14th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Peter Dolan, Newton Aycliffe on 4:01pm Wed 14 May 08
This is SBC's last chance to get their hands on a lot of property's cheap, it has nothing to do with improvements, if they want to get rid of the housing stock why not offer it to the sitting tenants at the same rates as the associations get it for. All they do is borrow vasts amounts against the value of the housing and land and say that they have to put the rents up to meet the re-payments, its all about how much they can make out of any ownership that counts with them not for what they can do for the tenants.
This is SBC's last chance to get their hands on a lot of property's cheap, it has nothing to do with improvements, if they want to get rid of the housing stock why not offer it to the sitting tenants at the same rates as the associations get it for. All they do is borrow vasts amounts against the value of the housing and land and say that they have to put the rents up to meet the re-payments, its all about how much they can make out of any ownership that counts with them not for what they can do for the tenants.
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