A few years ago Moray UNISON was part of a successful campaign to prevent the transfer of Moray Council housing to a housing association. At the time many councils were considering such transfers, and the largest to go ahead was in Glasgow. Since then we can see the results of moving responsibility for providing social housing from a service directly provided by the council to other providers. Terms and conditions have been gradually undermined, rents have increased and there is a lack of accountability. With upcoming budget cuts councils will again be looking to cut corners when delivering services, and we must be prepared to fight any attempts to resurrect such plans.
UNISON is opposed to the wholesale selling off of large chunks of the country's council housing stock. This process is damaging to tenants, local authorities, services and trade union organisation. UNISON fully supports options that enable investment to take place without homes being sold.
Large Scale Voluntary Transfers are damaging to tenants, local authorities, services and trade union organisation. UNISON fully supports options that enable investment to take place without homes being sold.
The selling off of large amounts of council housing stock adversely affects not just tenants but local authority workers too.
LSVT occurs when a council sells more than 500 homes to a single body, usually a housing association or a private housing company. This often leads to higher rents and higher housing benefit bills as the new housing associations have to recoup their investment. Public investment would be cheaper and more efficient.
Usually the local authority's housing staff will move to the new organisation but building workers and support staff may face redundancy. Depending on how much the council receives from the sale of the housing stock, there may be redundancies in the rest of the authority too.
UNISON branches are adopting a twin track approach in their opposition to LSVTs, both campaigning against any proposed transfers and preparing a strong bargaining position if the transfers should go ahead.
The RTB scheme should not be confused with LSVTs. Right To Buy gives an individual council tenant the opportunity to purchase the freehold or lease to their council home.