South Wales Evening Post - 28 September 2006
Those people writing to you under the guise of "defend council housing" really need to make their mind up. We have had endless letters questioning what would happen if the new Community Mutual Housing Association failed and went bust. The answer is that the Assembly would not let that happen.
Now the organisation's chair is arguing that the stock transfer company will make a surplus "Tenants must take part" (Have Your Say, September 25).For the record Tawe Housing will be a non-profit making organisation. Nobody will benefit personally from serving on its board. If it makes a surplus then that money will be re-invested in improving tenants' homes or in building new social housing for rent.
Paul Lynch also argues in his letter that tenants will be forced to put the interests of Tawe Housing ahead of their own. Why does he consider these interests to be mutually exclusive? The housing association will exist to provide social housing and to serve its tenants. Ultimately, it belongs to its tenants and they will have an important say in the decision making process - far more than if they stayed with Swansea Council. Because councillors also serve on the board then there will also be a democratic input.
Finally, Leigh Richards alleges that rents will rise to unacceptable levels. This is not true. The business plan guarantees rents for the first five years.
After that period they will be regulated by the Assembly, whose policy is to peg them to the rate of inflation.
If they vote "yes" tenants will see major investment in their homes while paying no more rent than if they had stayed with the council.
Councillor Peter Black AM
