Transfer claims are 'laughable'
I WAS appalled at the tactics now being resorted to by Cllr Simon Edwards, South Cambridgeshire District Council s portfolio holder for housing, in his increasingly desperate attempts to bully council tenants into accepting his failed and discredited priv
I WAS appalled at the tactics now being resorted to by Cllr Simon Edwards, South Cambridgeshire District Council's portfolio holder for housing, in his increasingly desperate attempts to bully council tenants into accepting his failed and discredited privatisation policy.
The hysterical and dire predictions put forward by Cllr Edwards and his consultants are based on pure speculation and bear no resemblance to the reality of tenants, who know from their own experience that their homes are in good repair and well maintained. Cllr Edwards is well aware that it was the council's decision to divert £10 million of council housing money to use on other projects, notably the expensive white elephant at Cambourne that has led to him being able to claim there is a shortfall in funding.
The records clearly show that councillors were well aware of the potential implications of their decisions.
For Cllr Edwards to now claim to have tenants' interests at heart is laughable; if he did then he would reverse the cuts he is proposing to the housing budget.
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As Cllr Edwards has himself conceded, the district council will have no difficulty in meeting the Government's Decent Homes Standard by 2010.
Does he seriously expect us to believe that a year later our homes will be collapsing around our ears?
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Even the consultants' report states that to make the housing service one of the best in the country would only require an additional £350,000.
Small change for a council which has spent £6 million of council tenants' money on its new offices and more than £1 milllion on attempting to privatise its housing stock.
Cllr Edwards should now take the only honourable course left to him and resign.
CHRIS McCABE
Gransden
