Archive for July 13th, 2010

July 13, 2010

Housing stock vote begins

July 13th 2010 Posted to Housing

Housing stock vote begins

9:37am Friday 2nd July 2010

A VOTE to decide the future of Bolton’s 18,200 council houses starts today.

Tenants are being given the final say on the proposed transfer of Bolton Council’s housing stock to a remodelled Bolton At Home.

Ballot papers were sent out yesterday by the independent organisation Electoral Reform Services and tenants now have until noon on July 30 to cast their vote.

The council has been consulting with tenants since January about a proposal to transfer the ownership of its 18,200 homes to a
new-style Bolton at Home.

If the transfer goes ahead, it would mean £124 million is invested in homes and improving estates over the next five years and a £1.2 billion package of home improvements will be unlocked over the
next 30 years.

Almost £290 million of historic housing debt should be written off by the Government, although no firm guarantees have yet been given by the new Conservative- Liberal Democrat coalition.

However, if tenants vote against the transfer, the council says it cannot afford to keep maintaining homes to the required standard.

But the proposal has upset unions and some campaigners who feel homes should be kept in public ownership as a matter of principle. Council tenants have already had 28 days to look over an offer
document sent out in May, which includes details of the housing transfer.

Tenants can vote by freepost, online, by text or by phone, and all the details about how to vote are on the ballot paper. The transfer will only go ahead if the majority of tenants vote “yes” in
the ballot.

Cllr Cliff Morris, leader of Bolton Council, said: “I’d urge every tenant to use their vote and take this opportunity to influence the future of housing
in Bolton.

“Every vote is vital and we want the highest turnout as possible.

There are so many ways to vote, from texting to voting online, making it as easy as possible for people to vote.

“I’ve said all along that ultimately it’s the tenant’s decision and we will honour the wishes of tenants expressed through the ballot, whatever they may be.”

The result of the ballot will be announced on July 30 and letters will be posted out to tenants after this date.

For more information about the ballot, call ERS on 0208 889 9203.

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