Tenants vote for housing transfer
By Martin Chapman on Friday, 5th October 2001.
HAVEBURY Housing Partnerhsip are to be the new owners of St Edmundsbury’s housing stock, after the result of a ballot in favour of the transfer was announced today.
Seventy-four per cent of the 7,608 residents voted, with 71% of these voting in favour of the transfer. This means, after taking into account those residents who didn’t vote, 52% of tenants were in favour of the transfer.
The decision was warmly welcomed by Borough Councillors and staff, who will now be working hard to get the Haverbury Housing Partnership ready to take control of the housing stock by March 2002 – the proposed date of transfer.
Cllr Terry Clements, Chairman of the Havebury Housing Partnerhip management board said: “I am delighted that tenants have given the go-ahead to transfer to the Havebury Housing Partnership.
He went on to say: “I’m sure that it’s a move which will prove to be if great benefit to tenants.”
Cllr Jennifer Hart, Chair of the St Edmundsbury Health and Housing Committee said: “Asking tenants to back the Council's decision to transfer its housing stock was not easy for any of us because St Edmundsbury has a proud tradition of providing good quality social housing.”
She went on to say: “but we took that decision because, with major changes in Government financing and a growing backlog of repairs and improvements, we felt the transfer was in the best interests of tenants.
However there were concerns before the ballot that Havebury would be “the council with another name,” especially as the current staff could continue. There was also a lack on confidence that the proposed improvements programme would not be met.
Steve Cook, Director for Environmental Health and Housing said: “The Havebury Housing Partnership is a not-for-profit organisation so every penny it receives from tenants will be spent on providing good quality services, taking care of tenants' homes and providing more affordable housing.”
He added: “tenants will be on the management board, alongside councillors and members of the public, so the whole community will have a stake in the future of social housing in the Borough.”
The Havebury Housing Partnership is to pay £37.271 million for the 6,082 homes, almost £6,128 per property. This is lower than the open value because the homes have tenants and Havebury have an obligation to invest in the stock.
Approval from the Secretary of State is now a matter of course, as the transfer had been approved by the Government if the tenants voted in favour.
It is now expected that the transfer of the stock to the Havebury Housing Partnership will take place in early 2002.
The full results were:
5,632 voted (74%), 1,976 did not vote(25%), and there were 5 spoilt ballot papers (accounting for less than 0.1% of the vote)
Of those residents voting:
4,024 were in favour (71%) and 1,603 (28%) were against.
Seventy-four per cent of the 7,608 residents voted, with 71% of these voting in favour of the transfer. This means, after taking into account those residents who didn’t vote, 52% of tenants were in favour of the transfer.
The decision was warmly welcomed by Borough Councillors and staff, who will now be working hard to get the Haverbury Housing Partnership ready to take control of the housing stock by March 2002 – the proposed date of transfer.
Cllr Terry Clements, Chairman of the Havebury Housing Partnerhip management board said: “I am delighted that tenants have given the go-ahead to transfer to the Havebury Housing Partnership.
He went on to say: “I’m sure that it’s a move which will prove to be if great benefit to tenants.”
Cllr Jennifer Hart, Chair of the St Edmundsbury Health and Housing Committee said: “Asking tenants to back the Council's decision to transfer its housing stock was not easy for any of us because St Edmundsbury has a proud tradition of providing good quality social housing.”
She went on to say: “but we took that decision because, with major changes in Government financing and a growing backlog of repairs and improvements, we felt the transfer was in the best interests of tenants.
However there were concerns before the ballot that Havebury would be “the council with another name,” especially as the current staff could continue. There was also a lack on confidence that the proposed improvements programme would not be met.
Steve Cook, Director for Environmental Health and Housing said: “The Havebury Housing Partnership is a not-for-profit organisation so every penny it receives from tenants will be spent on providing good quality services, taking care of tenants' homes and providing more affordable housing.”
He added: “tenants will be on the management board, alongside councillors and members of the public, so the whole community will have a stake in the future of social housing in the Borough.”
The Havebury Housing Partnership is to pay £37.271 million for the 6,082 homes, almost £6,128 per property. This is lower than the open value because the homes have tenants and Havebury have an obligation to invest in the stock.
Approval from the Secretary of State is now a matter of course, as the transfer had been approved by the Government if the tenants voted in favour.
It is now expected that the transfer of the stock to the Havebury Housing Partnership will take place in early 2002.
The full results were:
5,632 voted (74%), 1,976 did not vote(25%), and there were 5 spoilt ballot papers (accounting for less than 0.1% of the vote)
Of those residents voting:
4,024 were in favour (71%) and 1,603 (28%) were against.
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