A POLITICAL row has erupted over a tenants’ newsletter to be distributed ahead of a ballot to decide whether to offload Swindon Council’s housing stock.

Swindon Council is to ballot tenants on an option to transfer all the properties to a new not-for-profit housing association in order to dodge a £145m bill from the Government.

The Conservative administration says this bill would prevent it from keeping the 10,500 homes at minimum standards of decency. However, the Labour group opposes the transfer, claiming it would reduce democratic accountability.

The council cannot tell tenants how to vote, but Labour claims that Tories are “misusing council power” through allegedly promoting the transfer in a special edition of Housing Matters, which focuses on the ballot.

The newsletter, which will be sent out today, states on the front page: “The alternative – and the council’s preferred option – is to create a new, independent not-for-profit, local housing association to own and manage the council’s homes.”

On page two it states that the need for significant future investment in Swindon’s sheltered accommodation is “another key reason why the council wants a new housing association with the money and capacity to take on this challenge.”

Coun Grant said: “Tenants should be very angry with the way the council has behaved in promoting tenants moving to a housing association.

“This subtle promotion by the council for moving tenants to a housing association completely undermines their role as offering unbiased information to tenants in order to let them choose.

“Plus the council has absolutely no authorisation to do this. Back at the last full council meeting in July, council agreed to move to a ballot but we never agreed to promote tenants moving to a housing association. It’s a complete misuse of council power that they are doing this.

“Swindon Council’s Conserv-ative administration needs to make up their minds. Are they going to ensure the council plays a neutral role and make sure tenants get unbiased information?

“Or are they going to promote tenants moving to a housing association, in which case they need to authorise this through a council resolution? However, they can’t do both”

In a statement, Coun Russell Holland, the cabinet member for One Swindon, communities and housing, said: “There is no foundation to these claims.

“The council’s position is that there are clear benefits for tenants if they choose to transfer but it is up to tenants to decide.

“My priority is to ensure that tenants have the information they need to make an informed choice. The Housing Matters article was approved by an independent tenants’ adviser.”

Swindon Council is negotiating with the government to move the date of the ballot from as early as November to February to allow a longer consultation period.