For some reason the Conservatives are not very happy that we Lib Dems have a) put a motion in for the council meeting on 18th November criticising their lack of progress on bringing council housing up to the Decent Homes standard and b) dared to put a written question in criticising the fact that council tenants had to read about the Tories’ plans for a housing stock transfer in the local paper, rather than than having been communicated with first.

Now there is no doubt at all that councils up and down the land are struggling with the finances of council houses.  But the problem with the way the Tories in Wokingham have handled that problem is the crux of our criticism.  First, although they have been in charge of the council for 7 1/2 years, they don’t appear to have got to grips with the Housing Revenue Account until very recently – and even now I am not sure they understand it.  Second, they have presided over a right old mess as the housing department has struggled to overcome their indifference and the lack of money and some historical management issues.  And thirdly, they have not apparently even noticed that there has been no Decent Homes programme in Wokingham for the last three years.   We’re the ones who’ve been asking what’s going on, not them.  So for them to whinge at us because we are holding them to account is, to put it in a nutshell, a bit rich.

And as for the stock transfer – yep, the situation with the funding is difficult and all options have to be explored.  But surely you start by explaining all the facts to the tenants and then exploring with them what those options might be.  You don’t make up your mind to sell people’s houses out from under them, and then tell them.  Unless you’re a Wokingham Tory, that is.

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