In the latest blow to the government plans to sell off council houses, residents in Sefton, Merseyside have voted 55% against stock transfer on a 68.2% turnout. Sefton Council has described itself as 'financially crippled' after wasting £5.2 million on trying to secure a 'yes' vote. They had only budgeted £3.5million and hoped to write it off against the debt that the new housing association would have incurred but now the Council Tax payers are left with the bill. The Housing Director Roy Williams took 2 weeks to write to the tenants and tell them the official ballot result - so devastated they are by the outcome.
The local UNISON Branch worked with a very active tenants group to oppose the transfer and from the beginning was targeted for victimisation and obstruction. This wasafter a brief 'honeymoon' period when the Housing Department reported that tenants would not vote for transfer 'under any circumstances'. How quickly this was changed when the Housing Department - with little support from tenants - realised the attractions of a stock transfer for a new board of a Housing Association to be called 'One Vision' (dubbed 'No Vision' by the tenants).
The Council blocked the group from being on the local Decent Homes Commission by disqualifying people with 'rent arrears'. They then suspended 6 UNISON activists from the Sefton Branch for taking part in a demonstration outside the new 'Transfer Shop' - 2 of the 6remain suspended. finally they brought the ballot foward from November to July. All of these tactics failed against a locally run and determined campaign. All tenants recieved endless leaflets, booklets and videos from the Council. Staff were sent out 'door-knocking' to get out the 'yes' vote and tenants were telephoned at home by staff urging them to vote 'yes'.
In response the local campaign against the stock transfer produced their own DVD funded by UNISON, called 'Homes Fit For Heroes' which was sent to all 12,500 Council homes. Leaflets were produced spelling out the 4th option and the experiences of such places as Leeds, Sunderland and Glasgow. A battle bus was used at the weekends to bring out the tenants and tell them the truth about transfer. Tenants and trade unionists were delighted after the result was announced at BootleTown Hall. The local campaign had cost £21,000.
But the group remains united and active over 2 threats. The council have launched a so called 'inquiry' into the ballot claiming that there was a campaign of intimidation involving buying votes and people impersonating Council Officers. It is plain and clear nonsense.There also remains the threat to the 2 suspended activists who face charges of 'gross misconduct'. The General Secretary of UNISON Dave Prentis has been to Sefton to demand the lifting of the suspensions. Over 2,000 UNISON members have been out on strike for 3 full days with more to follow.
As Mike O'Brien, a tenant and the Co Chair of Sefton Defend Council Housing has said:- " it would feel like a hollow victory indeed if these 2 UNISON activists were sacked by the council so we urge all campaigners to show their support for Nigel Flanagan and Paul Summers"
Messages to Sefton UNISON, Mersey Seaman's Mission, Colonsay House, 20 Crosby Road, Waterloo, Liverpool L22 1RQ or e mail