This is from our UNISON branch newsletter
Just gone through a week of fun and games at work. My grown up job is working in a Council housing estate office. Last July 2005 the estate voted (by a majority of 7 votes) to transfer to a housing association. However, a number of tenants have made complaints to the Government (who have to give permission for the transfer to go ahead) that the ballot was unfair and should be rerun. The transfer has been "in limbo" for over a year.
Then last Friday 9th Feb the government suddenly gave the go ahead for transfer to take place. At 4pm that day local management were sent an email saying the transfer would take place on the 19th Feb "at the earliest". Some new workers had been identified as being liable to tupe transfer without any discussion! There was no notification to the trade unions and no negotiations even though we have not had any talks with management or the housing association for over a year! On Thursday 15 Feb we had a office meeting with HR who informed us that we would transfer the following Monday (just over 1 working day's notice!). Nothing was given in writing. Some staff were on leave this week (half term) and where not even aware what was going on. As you would imagine this did not go down very well with staff. Some of which have worked for the Council for 35 years. Needless to say, none of our residents had been informed that there landlord would be changing either.
We suspect that the Council were trying to bounce the transfer before any legal challenge. On Friday 16 Feb at 4.45 pm (with 15 minutes to go) we received a message that an injunction by residents had been obtained to stop the transfer pending a judicial review!
We suspect that the Council were trying to bounce the transfer before any legal challenge. On Friday 16 Feb at 4.45 pm (with 15 minutes to go) we received a message that an injunction by residents had been obtained to stop the transfer pending a judicial review!
I suppose that the idea is that for the Council to treat staff so badly that they will feel happy about transferring!
Watch this space!
Copy of press release from residents opposed to tranfer
Subject: Injunction stops Tower Hamlets Parkside transfer pending Judicial Review
Press Statement Immediate Release 16.2.07
Tenant campaigners on the Parkside group of estates in Tower Hamlets, East London tonight won an injunction in the Administrative Court, Royal Courts of Justice preventing Tower Hamlets Council completing the transfer of more than 2000 council homes to a subsidiary of CircleAnglia.
Carole Swords, a tenant from the estate and active member of the Tower Hamlets Against Transfer campaign went to court today after Housing Minister Yvette Cooper gave consent to the privatisation of her estate last week. Mr Justice Grigson agreed that there was a case to answer and granted the injunction.
The Council originally balloted tenants in July 2005 but the process and result have been hotly contested. Tenants immediately and consistently called for a full independent investigation of the ballot and alleged irregularities. They called on the Council and Housing Minister Yvette Cooper not to sign off the transfer on the basis of a majority of seven votes despite a catalogue of balloting irregularities. These included a polling station not being available, some tenants not receiving ballot papers and tenants for whom English is not their first language having difficulty using telephone voting because of lack of translation facilities.
Ballots on other estates in Tower Hamlets in a series of votes (partial stock transfers) have led to a large body of allegations of irregularities and abuses. The Council faces further challenges from tenants on other estates and a police investigation after tenants made sworn statements that people supporting transfer (privatisation) went round doors collecting blank ballot papers.
Normally the Secretary of State signs consent to transfers soon after the ballot result. The department’s regulations state that this should be within 12 months but in this case Housing Minister Yvette Cooper has put off making a decision because of strong opposition and the threat of Judicial Review. She decided to give consent last week prompting the request for an injunction made today.
Further information:
Carole Swords, claimant 07966 377 162
Eileen Short, Tower Hamlets Against Stock Transfer 07984 813 930
Alan Walter, Defend Council Housing 07802 176 639
Note to editors:
There is strong opposition to the government’s policy of privatising council housing across Britain. Tenants voted NO to transfer in more ballots in 2006 than ever before and there is growing national campaign supporting the ‘Fourth Option’ of direct investment to improve existing and build new council homes.
On Monday (Feb 19) the Labour Party National Policy Forum’s Sustainable Communities commission is due to discuss recommendations from its housing working group. Last September Labour’s conference voted for the third consecutive year running “calls on government to provide the ‘fourth option’ of direct investment to council housing as a matter of urgency” as an alternative to privatisation. The NEC told conference a working group would deliver its “conclusions early next year”.
On Tuesday (Feb 20) Professor John Hills is due to report on the conclusions of his inquiry into the Role of Social Housing, commissioned by Secretary of State, Ruth Kelly.
Defend Council Housing is holding a meeting at Parliament (6pm Tues 20, Portcullis House) to launch a new pamphlet ‘Dear Gordon: invest in decent, affordable, secure and accountable council housing’.
To demonstrate that the original Tower Hamlets Parkside ballot result was flawed and most tenants don’t want the transfer to go ahead campaigners went door to door and collected signatures against the privatisation. More names were collected against the sell-off than Yes votes in the original council ballot.
The transfer would have gone ahead next Monday 19th following the Secretary of State's decision last week. Carol Swords issued proceedings for Judicial Review in the administrative court (at the Royal Courts of Justice) this afternoon and at 8.20pm Mr Justice Grigson gave us an order to prevent the transfer going ahead until the Judicial Review can be heard.
For pictures of the claimant outside the court contact MikeJWells@yahoo.com 07799152888
Terms of order:
In the administrative court
Carole Swords Claimant
and
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Defendant
Old Ford Housing Association
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Interested Parties
ORDER
An injunction preventing the London Borough of Tower Hamlets from proceeding with the transfer / disposal of Parkside Estates to Old Ford Housing Association until these proceedings are resolved or until further order.
Press Statement Immediate Release 16.2.07
Tenant campaigners on the Parkside group of estates in Tower Hamlets, East London tonight won an injunction in the Administrative Court, Royal Courts of Justice preventing Tower Hamlets Council completing the transfer of more than 2000 council homes to a subsidiary of CircleAnglia.
Carole Swords, a tenant from the estate and active member of the Tower Hamlets Against Transfer campaign went to court today after Housing Minister Yvette Cooper gave consent to the privatisation of her estate last week. Mr Justice Grigson agreed that there was a case to answer and granted the injunction.
The Council originally balloted tenants in July 2005 but the process and result have been hotly contested. Tenants immediately and consistently called for a full independent investigation of the ballot and alleged irregularities. They called on the Council and Housing Minister Yvette Cooper not to sign off the transfer on the basis of a majority of seven votes despite a catalogue of balloting irregularities. These included a polling station not being available, some tenants not receiving ballot papers and tenants for whom English is not their first language having difficulty using telephone voting because of lack of translation facilities.
Ballots on other estates in Tower Hamlets in a series of votes (partial stock transfers) have led to a large body of allegations of irregularities and abuses. The Council faces further challenges from tenants on other estates and a police investigation after tenants made sworn statements that people supporting transfer (privatisation) went round doors collecting blank ballot papers.
Normally the Secretary of State signs consent to transfers soon after the ballot result. The department’s regulations state that this should be within 12 months but in this case Housing Minister Yvette Cooper has put off making a decision because of strong opposition and the threat of Judicial Review. She decided to give consent last week prompting the request for an injunction made today.
Further information:
Carole Swords, claimant 07966 377 162
Eileen Short, Tower Hamlets Against Stock Transfer 07984 813 930
Alan Walter, Defend Council Housing 07802 176 639
Note to editors:
There is strong opposition to the government’s policy of privatising council housing across Britain. Tenants voted NO to transfer in more ballots in 2006 than ever before and there is growing national campaign supporting the ‘Fourth Option’ of direct investment to improve existing and build new council homes.
On Monday (Feb 19) the Labour Party National Policy Forum’s Sustainable Communities commission is due to discuss recommendations from its housing working group. Last September Labour’s conference voted for the third consecutive year running “calls on government to provide the ‘fourth option’ of direct investment to council housing as a matter of urgency” as an alternative to privatisation. The NEC told conference a working group would deliver its “conclusions early next year”.
On Tuesday (Feb 20) Professor John Hills is due to report on the conclusions of his inquiry into the Role of Social Housing, commissioned by Secretary of State, Ruth Kelly.
Defend Council Housing is holding a meeting at Parliament (6pm Tues 20, Portcullis House) to launch a new pamphlet ‘Dear Gordon: invest in decent, affordable, secure and accountable council housing’.
To demonstrate that the original Tower Hamlets Parkside ballot result was flawed and most tenants don’t want the transfer to go ahead campaigners went door to door and collected signatures against the privatisation. More names were collected against the sell-off than Yes votes in the original council ballot.
The transfer would have gone ahead next Monday 19th following the Secretary of State's decision last week. Carol Swords issued proceedings for Judicial Review in the administrative court (at the Royal Courts of Justice) this afternoon and at 8.20pm Mr Justice Grigson gave us an order to prevent the transfer going ahead until the Judicial Review can be heard.
For pictures of the claimant outside the court contact MikeJWells@yahoo.com 07799152888
Terms of order:
In the administrative court
Carole Swords Claimant
and
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Defendant
Old Ford Housing Association
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Interested Parties
ORDER
An injunction preventing the London Borough of Tower Hamlets from proceeding with the transfer / disposal of Parkside Estates to Old Ford Housing Association until these proceedings are resolved or until further order.
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