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Council denies propaganda claim over its housing vote

Published date: 26 January 2011 |
Published by: by Lois Hough

 

COUNCIL bosses have defended claims they are spreading “propaganda” ahead of a crucial ballot to determine the future of its housing stock.


Tenants from 7,500 council properties across the county will decide whether to hand over control of their homes to a social landlord or stick with council ownership.


Flintshire Council has insisted it would remain neutral throughout the process, but tenants say a newsletter delivered to their homes is attempting to sway the votes.
One Buckley tenant, who wished to remain anonymous, said tenants were being prompted to vote for a transfer.


He told the Leader: “The council says it is taking a neutral approach but it is quite clear from the way they have written this thing what is on their mind and how they want us to vote.


“This is propaganda. They are trying to use subliminal messages to sway us.”


The newsletter, entitled Your Home, Your Future, Your Choice, sparked confusion among readers with the following: “The council is proposing transfer because it will enable all homes to be brought up to Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) within five years of transfer.The council simply does not have the money to meet WHQS in the same timescale.”


Council bosses say they did not mean to be suggestive.


Chief executive Colin Everett said: “Some have read it that the council is now in favour of transfer and is no longer neutral.


“The council is required to put to tenants the proposal to transfer to a registered social landlord for them to vote for or against the transfer when the ballot takes place.


“This is what is meant by the words ‘the council is proposing transfer’ in the article.


“The council has a well publicised neutral stance on the future of council housing and is not advocating either option to its tenants.


“We believe it is the tenants’ decision to decide their future without influence.”


The transfer option is not a new idea in Wales. Residents in Bridgend were the first to vote for a transfer to a new landlord in 2002


Tenants in Wrexham and Swansea voted to stay with the council.


Flintshire tenants will be taking to the polls in the summer.

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  1. Posted by: InMyOpinion at 13:49 on 26 January 2011 Report

    The council is probably right in the fact that not one single council in Wales can meet can meet the WHQS deadline. and those who did go with social landlords have had rent increases and some of those may not meet the target iether. the WAG continuously gives lower and lower funding so the councils should throw it back to them to sort out, or is it to much to ask of our government?

  2. Posted by: a cahill at 15:36 on 26 January 2011 Report

    IMO very true but the lack of political will in dealing with the money taken from councils rent receipts to support other councils is a major part of the problem...the resigned acceptance from the WAG who then went on to set WHQS shows a lack of backbone and a disregard for the tenants whose homes are becoming delapidated

  3. Posted by: Valentine at 19:13 on 26 January 2011 Report

    As a council employee I can confirm that there has been an active campaign by senior council management,especially the present one,to promote stock transfer.This is exemplified by the money allocated for this programme on consultants and the fact that we are being threatened with disciplinary action if we voice an opinion against it ,albeit under the guise of neutrality.The simple fact is that there is a consensus that most tennants want to remain with the present set up.

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