15 November 2005
Council sets November 23 as housing transfer ballot date- A ‘yes’ in the ballot will mean housing standards ‘amongst the best in Scotland’, says ACHA
November 23 will see the start of the much-anticipated ballot of tenants on plans to transfer the Council’s 5,800 homes to Argyll Community Housing Association Limited (ACHA). The decision to proceed to the secret postal ballot was approved at a meeting of the full Council on Monday 14 November.
The 21-day ballot period, to be run independently of the Council and ACHA by Electoral Reform Service (ERS), will begin once tenants receive their ballot papers and pre-paid reply envelopes. The deadline for completed papers to reach ERS is noon on Wednesday 14 December 2005.
Councillor George Freeman, Housing Spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council, said, “The Council has taken the decision to proceed to a ballot following a very successful and thorough period of formal consultation. Speaking as both a tenant and the Council’s housing spokesperson I welcome ACHA’s proposals as the best way forward for tenants’ homes and housing services, however I feel it’s extremely important that this decision is taken by those whom it will affect most – the Council’s tenants. I would urge all tenants to vote and I look forward to hearing the result in December.”
Neither the Council nor ACHA will know which way individual tenants vote in the secret postal ballot. Every secure tenant will receive a ballot paper, meaning that those with a joint tenancy will each receive a separate voting paper.The Council will inform tenants of the result shortly after the completion of the ballot period on December 14. Only if the majority of voting tenants vote in favour of the transfer and if the Scottish Executive Ministers give their consent, will transfer then take place – at the earliest in spring 2006.
The ballot follows the start of a second stage of formal consultation. All Council tenants should by now have received a Stage 2 booklet providing responses to the main issues
raised by tenants as part of the first stage of formal consultation. The booklet also outlines details of how tenants can give their views on the transfer proposals to the Scottish Executive within 28 days of receiving the booklet.
The transfer proposals include details of the Argyll Housing Standard, a quality standard that ACHA will be introducing following transfer. The Standard sets out the upgrades tenants can expect for their homes, including full double glazing, central heating, and modern fitted kitchens and bathrooms, within 10 years of transfer. The Standard will ensure that social housing in Argyll and Bute is amongst the best in Scotland and meets the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS). The SHQS has been set by the Scottish Executive to improve the quality of social housing throughout Scotland by 2015.
ACHA Chairman Norman Beaton commented, “We have a vision to deliver social housing in Argyll and Bute that is amongst the best in Scotland. We will be able to meet these ambitious goals through an investment package from the Scottish Executive that will mean there will be no significant rent increases for our tenants, but this can only happen if tenants vote for transfer in the ballot that starts next week. As a Council tenant myself, I would urge all tenants to take this opportunity to influence the future of social housing in Argyll and Bute and to use their vote.”
ACHA has pledged to bring all of its tenants’ homes up to the Argyll Housing Standard. It will use its £261 million investment programme to deliver improvements and repairs. This equates to £47,960 per property (excluding VAT).
Ends
Issued on behalf of Argyll and Bute Council and Argyll Community Housing Association Limited (ACHA) by TNC. For further media information, please contact Dan Hughes (dan@tnc.uk.com), Consultant, on 01698 420420, mobile 07957 467953.
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