1:22pm Thursday 2nd September 2010
By Lawrence Dunhill
A PLAN to sell off more than 6,000 council houses has moved one step closer to a crunch vote on the issue.
Wycombe District Council is set to send out a formal proposal to its tenants, which gives them a month to respond with any comments.
The council wants tenants to vote through selling its 6,200 homes to Red Kite Community Housing – a 'tenant-led' housing association. The vote is expected in November or December.
A similar transfer in 2000 was rejected by most tenants and a 2004 poll found most were against a transfer from the council.
Jennie Ferrigno, a council tenant and chairman of Red Kite’s shadow board, said this proposal is different because it has been driven by tenants, not the council.
The council says the transfer will enable a massive improvement of homes, as it currently has to give about £11million of its rent income to central government.
Red Kite, a non-profit company, would get to keep this cash and would spend it on improving homes, said council housing chief Chris Watson. He has said the council is likely to receive less than £10million from the sale.
The transfer has cross-party support among councillors.
Campaign group Defend Council Housing has criticised the move, saying Red Kite will struggle to meet its promises over improvements and will be accountable to banks rather than the public.
The council stands to lose up to £1million in the event of a no vote (see link below).
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