War of words on council homes transfer
A COUNCIL meeting to discuss the future of council homes in Neath Port Talbot descended into a bitter slanging match.
As the document on the proposed transfer of council homes to a new landlord went before full council, Martyn Peters, of the Defend Council Housing campaign, found himself the target of a verbal attack.
Alltwen representative David Lewis accused Councillor Peters of being "like a spiv" and not being fully involved in the proposed transfer process.
"Where were you when this was being decided?" he asked.
Councillor Lewis added that Councillor Peters had been exposed as "cheap and shallow". The comments came after Councillor Peters told the meeting housing officers had been door-knocking residents about the housing ballot planned for early next year.
He said he had been told by one Sandfields tenant that officers were acting like they worked for loan sharks.
The war of words prompted a warning from Glynneath councillor Del Morgan, who said the verbal insults were a bad move.
"I think you are doing the wrong thing," he said.
"The more focus on the political facts, the more tenants will feel wary about all this."
Referring to the 91-page document which outlines reasons why tenants would be better off with a new landlord, Councillor Morgan added: "I think the tenants will be confused and disheartened by this document." Councillor Tony Wyn-Jones said he was concerned that tenants were being misled.
He said he had attended one of the roadshows about the benefits of transferring to NPT Homes.
"There were fabulous photos and three old ladies asked 'Will we have this?' and were told 'yes', and that is a lie," said Councillor Wyn Jones.
However, this was refuted by councillor Peter Rees.
"I think you should withdraw that accusation, I think it is unfounded," he said.
The council has said moving to NPT Homes will be the best move for tenants as there is a £112 million capital shortfall for the authority to meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard. The Housing Revenue Account is also set to go into deficit in 2011-12.
Aberavon councillor Anthony Taylor described the transfer as a sad day.
"I never thought it would come to this," he said.
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4 Comments
by Paul Lynch, Swansea
Sunday, October 04 2009, 12:46PM
“Tenants are not being given a fair and balanced debate. These quotes taken from a recent report ('Council Housing: Time to Invest') by the House of Commons Council Housing Group should prove enlightening when considering who the real spivs are.'
"..Behaviour that would be illegal in the selling of an insurance policy is routine in stock transfer ballots...We heard shocking stories of councils¿ one-sided propaganda pushing transfer,...of sly tricks such as changing the start-date of the ballot, and in the worst cases of outright bullying and intimidation of tenants and staff by councils and prospective landlords...We set out the evidence we had gathered in our first report, Support for the ¿Fourth Option¿ for Council Housing, and we called on the government to change this appalling situation. Since then there have been more abuses of the ballot process. The use of threats to coerce tenants continues. South Cambridgeshire recently balloted tenants on stock transfer; a leading councillor said: ¿The threatened service cuts if tenants do not vote for transfer is bullying pure and simple. There appears to be no evidence base for this whatsoever.¿ (Cllr Sebastian Kindersley, Leader, Liberal Democrat Group, South Cambridgeshire DC)...In no other ballot process in this country is there such a democratic deficit: there would be an outcry if the abuses allowed in transfer ballots were permitted in local elections or referenda. To describe stock transfer ballots we have had to look to the Ukraine, to Zimbabwe. And yet, when we pressed the government we found that despite rhetoric from Ministers about a fair and balanced debate, councils were permitted in law to behave in this way..."”
by Linda, Neath
Friday, October 02 2009, 5:31PM
“I was at this meeting and am appalled at the behaviour of the Cabinet members who bullied and spoke to anyone who disagreed with what they had put into the offer document. Their behaviour was tantamount to dictatorial. Then the Head of Legal Services informed the chamber that the rank and file members of the Council were only there to consider the document as the decision had already been made by the executive of the council. Apparently new legislation was brought in by the WAG in 2000 that took a lot of business out of the remit of your democratically elected Councillors and gave the power to make these decisions to the Executive or Cabinets of the Council. How proportional is the executive of NPT CBC regarding smaller parties and how proportional are the Cabinets? I have been told that they are 99% labour. Is this true? Because if it is and our local councillors have no say in the decisions how can it be said that we live in a democracy? Congratulations to the LIberal Democrats, Independents and Plaid Cymru for attempting to bring up issues which they felt strongly about re this stock transfer and shame on those cabinet and executive members who shamelessly personally attacked them and were not stopped from doing so. Councillors beware you will not be needed before long, but is it I am alright Jack for many old hands, I have lined my pockets and will be long gone when things change. Pity you had not fought for democracy for future generations. Oh well.”
by jeffery, port talbot
Friday, October 02 2009, 5:08PM
“Hi this council is starting a protocol that should be applied to everyone and everything in the borough. They are restricting the questions to council house tennants. Why do they not ask questions to other minority groups. only. This way we will all get what we want.
How dare they give away a public owned asset. It is time they did their jobs and not try avoiding problems. They got the council house stock into this mess they should be held responsible for getting it out of a mess instead of hiding it in another area.”
by Chris, NEATH
Friday, October 02 2009, 4:47PM
“Do you honestly believe that the new landlord NPT homes are going to spend a fortune upgrading everyones houses if they are elected in. If so you must be living in cuckoo land.
One of the reasons that Neath council want this transfer to go ahead is to get rid of some of the council departments. Services such has the Ranger services will probably stop so be prepared for an increase in antisocial behavior on various estates.
There are also reports that this transfer will create an extra 150 jobs what a load of buncombe, more than likely NPT homes will employ a few ex-council staff with new contracts and a reduction in their wages.
This whole transfer thing stinks!”