Lib Dems condemn the housing transfer process

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Liberal Democrats on South Cambridgeshire District Council have condemned the latest steps in the controversial plan to transfer council housing stock.

Speaking at the Full Council meeting on 23 April 09, Cllr Jonathan Chatfield said: ‘It is a scandal that after spending nearly £1million on ‘glossy propaganda’ including over £50,000 on DVDs, only 2% of tenants have indicated their support for transfer. Of the 7,739 tenants who were asked, 161 were said to be generally supportive. This is a mere 2%, meaning 98% were either opposed or chose not to respond.’

Throughout the process the Liberal Democrats have challenge the Conservative administration to give both sides of the argument, as there are clearly pros and cons to transfer and pros and cons to retention. However, this has been refused and the arguments coming from the Council have been entirely one sided.

County Councillor David Jenkins agrees: ‘a Histon resident asked for more information but was told he could not have it because he would not understand it. And then when I requested it through scrutiny I was told by the Council that it couldn’t share South Cambs Village Homes business plan with me because it doesn’t belong to it. How can tenants make informed decisions if they are not given the full facts? I think that this is maybe a matter for judicial review’.

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