SNP Warning Over Housing Stock Transfer

Sun, 1 Oct 2006

A recent meeting of Inverclyde SNP has heard how housing stock transfer is going to be damaging to the people of Inverclyde. The meeting was addressed by Luke Henderson who has worked on the 'Vote No to transfer' campaigns in both Edinburgh and Stirling. The meeting heard how nearly 3,000 Inverclyde homes are to be demolished if tenants vote yes in November's ballot. The meeting also heard how, in areas where transfer has gone ahead, rents have increased and service charges have shot through the roof. Speaking during the meeting Luke said: "Inverclyde is at great risk from the attempts to privatise its public housing. The people of Stirling, Edinburgh and now Renfrewshire have rejected transfer- I urge all Inverclyde council tenants to vote No in the forthcoming ballot." Local SNP activist, Chris Osborne, said after the meeting: "We will be distributing thousands of Vote NO newsletters over the next few weeks so that tenants can see the truth about housing stock transfer: "With Riverclyde Homes planning to scrap 3000 houses, council tenants need to ask themselves is there home going to be safe? In Glasgow good areas have been demolished with no concern for the tenant's views. "The SNP is deeply concerned at the prospect of local rent offices being closed down, as has been the case in Glasgow, and how this will affect pensioners in particular. Will all Greenock, Gourock and Port Glasgow rent offices remain open after the transfer? "The money is there to improve our homes already. It's time the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties released this capital without bribing Inverclyde's tenants into privatisation. Everyone in a wealthy Scotland should have the opportunity and the right to good quality, warm and affordable housing without this blackmail agenda"