Hull’s new twist

The most recent twist focuses on the tenants that formed a minority faction on the city’s stock options steering group. Despite this faction’s conclusion that stock transfer was the best choice, Hull’s cabinet disagrees and intends to recommend retaining their homes.

This isn’t the first time that Hull’s council and its tenants have clashed. In February 2003, Hull came in for criticism over a controversial plan that could have resulted in the demolition of 2500 homes. Chris Jarvis, then cabinet member for housing, couldn’t say where residents would go when their homes were demolished.

Then, in December of that year, tenant representatives demanded last-ditch talks with the Audit Commission after the council threatened to withdraw previously agreed funding from the Hull United Residents’ and Tenants group. The tenants came close to severing links with the council, but waited to see what the commissioners had to say.

Unsurprisingly, the ensuing inspection was highly critical and a threatened government supervision order was imposed. The most recent Audit Commission report hasn’t done anything to restore faith in the authority either, with the revelation that, four years after the government first defined a decent homes standard, 71% of the council’s stock does not meet it.

In the light of this chequered past – and the enduringly poor state of Hull’s housing – the cabinet’s decision not to transfer its stock is surprising. Yes, at the time of going to press, the recommendation had not yet been backed by a full council meeting but, if successful, it leaves a series of questions unanswered: not least how the beleaguered city is going to find the money to meet the 2010 decency standard.

This isn’t the first time that Hull’s council and its tenants have clashed

But the biggest question of all is whether tenants will suffer as a result of this political posturing. They were concerned that their collective voice wasn’t being heard back in 2003, and the situation doesn’t seem to have improved at all in 2005.

The picture at the top of this page will doubtless tell you that there’s a new editor at Housing Today. Having moved to the magazine from another title in the same publishing group, I want to take the opportunity to meet as many people in the sector as I can, and to hear what areas you believe we should be tackling.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me on acoxon@cmpinformation.com or 020 7921 8708. Your views will play a vital role in how we develop the magazine in the future, and I look forward to hearing them.