Defending Council Housing in Cambrdgeshire

Calling all locals;

South Cambs Against Transfer, which combines tenants and a group of councillors (nearly all the Independents plus the one Labour Cllr, and increasing support from LibDems), have begun distributing 6,000 leaflets opposing the housing transfer proposed by the ruling Tory group.

They're well organised and have several volunteers, but with nearly 100 villages in South Cambs they have their work cut out. Some Cambridge tenants have already offered help, but any more would be welcome. Dave Kelleway, chair of the group, has the leaflets, plus lists of all the council addresses in the district. If anyone would like to combine a stroll around picturesque Cambridgeshire villages and at the same time support council tenants against a typically unpleasant bunch of Shire Tories this is an ideal opportunity!

Please contact Dave and let him know if you wish to help.

With the government's 'council housing finance review' under way, it is disgraceful that the South Cambs' Tories are trying to rush this transfer through. Their only argument is the amount of rent taken away by the government as negative subsidy, but that is precisely what the review is addressing. It's called 'indecent haste', and (cynics might say) may not be entirely unconnected with SCDC being cash-strapped and looking to benefit from the capital receipt from the sale - at tenants' expense, of course.

It's lovely weather - what better than a nice stroll around pleasant country villages, taking a pop at unpleasant Shire Tories as you go..? A whacking 'No' vote would be good for Cambridge city too, because every such vote increases the pressure on the government to sort out what they have acknowledged is the "unsustainable" position for our Housing Revenue Account.