15 December 2005
Argyll and Bute set UK record as 9 in 10 tenants vote yes to housing transfer- 89.6% (3584) of tenants vote ‘yes’
- 10.4%% (415) of tenants vote ‘no’
- 62.8% (4010) turnout
Argyll and Bute Council tenants have voted by a record nine-to-one in favour of the transfer of their homes to Argyll Community Housing Association Limited (ACHA) in the secret postal ballot which ended yesterday (Wednesday 14 December), the Council announced today.
The 89.6% ‘yes’ vote is a UK record high for any large-scale housing transfer ballot and surpasses Scotland’s previous highest ‘yes’ vote of 82.4%, recorded in Scottish Borders in 2002. The result means that an investment of more than £260million will now be available to ACHA to spend on improving homes and associated services over the 30-year life of its business plan. Communities Minister, Malcolm Chisholm, said, “This is a very welcome and momentous result for council tenants in Argyll and Bute. It begins a process that will see a massive programme of investment in housing in the area which will improve existing homes and see new ones built. It will also allow tenants to be more involved in decisions affecting where they live. The Executive is committed to decent housing for people in Scotland. The decision in Argyll and Bute will see people benefit from new investment in their homes and neighbourhoods to improve their lives.”Councillor George Freeman, housing spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council, said, “This is a fantastic result, not only for the tenants of Argyll and Bute but also for local business and for the wider community. It is a clear signal from our tenants of their overwhelming support for the work the Council has put into this project over the past four years.
“The Council has said from the start of this process that transfer is its preferred option, and we are confident that it will deliver the much needed home improvements over the coming
years, whilst also protecting tenants’ rights. Tenants will reap the benefits from more of their rent being directed into real and lasting improvements for their homes, while the huge amount of work involved will have a long-lasting and positive impact on the whole of Argyll and Bute.”
ACHA Chairman Norman Beaton commented, “We are delighted that such an overwhelming majority of tenants have backed our plans. This result is the culmination of many months hard work by everyone on the ACHA team, but it is only the start of our job. Our attention will now turn to delivering on our plans, working with tenants to modernise existing homes and to deliver improved housing services across Argyll and Bute.”
Subject to consent by the Scottish Executive, the result paves the way for the transfer of the Council’s entire 5,800 housing stock to ACHA by summer 2006. The positive outcome means that the Scottish Executive will now write off the Council’s existing housing loan debts of approximately £48million, allowing a larger proportion of tenants’ rents to be spent on improving housing and housing services. As a result of this additional money being made available ACHA will be able to introduce a guarantee that rents will not increase by more than the rate of inflation plus 1% for the first five years after transfer, and will be kept affordable thereafter.
Following the transfer Argyll and Bute Council, while no longer owner, will remain the strategic authority for the area’s housing. As part of the transfer package the Council is expecting between £10 and £15 million to be made available for building new homes and regenerating communities in the area.
Ends
Issued on behalf of Argyll and Bute Council and Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) by TNC. For further media information, please contact Ken Newton (ken@tnc.uk.com), Managing Director, or Dan Hughes (dan@tnc.uk.com), Senior Consultant, on 01698 420420, mobile 07951 579332.
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