Date: 4 June 2007

 

Tenants’ anger at Libdems giving £466,000 of their money to the Treasury

 

LibDems deliberately sabotaged the Housing Transfer and deceived tenants into believing they could vote ‘no’ to the transfer without consequence even though the Council had spelt out what the result would be.  This left the Council having to hand over 25% of everybody’s rent or an average of £15 per week (or £760 per year) straight from tenants’ pockets.  Conservatives think this money should have been invested in improving the tenants’ homes in Taunton.  It could have been used to pay for 100 new kitchens or 200 new bathrooms or new windows for 250 tenants’ homes every month for the next year.  Now because of the LibDem’s irresponsibility the treasury will use it to improve houses in other parts of the country!

 

Liberal Democrats and Jeremy Browne MP, in an attempt to score some short term political advantage, will cause the tenants and residents of Taunton Deane lasting damage.

 

It is dreadful to think this is the first of 10 payments that the Council must pay the government in the next 12 months costing Council tenants an average of £750 each and totalling £4.66 million pounds this year alone.   

 

Cllr John Williams, Conservative Leader at Taunton Deane said, “Just imagine what improvements this money could have been spent on, not only to the houses, but to enhance the environment around them providing anti-social behaviour squads and improved safety.  Additionally, there would have been no need for changes in the support given to tenants due to staff redundancies.  The Libdems have dealt a cruel blow both to our tenants and the local economy.”

 

Ends  

 

Photo: Council Tenants, Freda Forest, Martin Forest and Mike Pincombe and Tenants’ Forum Chairman, Denis Allen protest with Deane Cllrs John Williams and Mark Edwards about drain of tenants’ money to the Treasury.                               

The Libdems at Taunton Deane Borough Council have just handed over £466,000 of Taunton Deane tenant’s rent money to the Treasury - the first of ten such payments this year.

 

Council tenants Freda Forest and Mike Pincombe, said, “We thought our bathrooms would be replaced this year now because of the cuts we have no idea when they will be done.  We are also suffering badly from anti social behaviour in the area, if the transfer had occurred we would have had extra officers to assist with the problem which is not now affordable”.