All last year’s work is now being put to the test that really matters. It’s time for tenants to have their say.
An independent ballot of all eligible tenants is now underway. It is run in total separation from both the Council and First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO) by ERS, the specialist ballot services arm of the Electoral Reform Society. The ballot will run throughout the rest of March into April.
Tenants can vote by free post, on-line, by text or by phone. The Council remains committed to encouraging all eligible tenants to use their vote in order to form an informed view of tenants’ wishes.
The tenants’ vote will determine the Council’s next steps. All the Council’s political leaders are committed to honouring the wishes of tenants expressed through the ballot.
If the majority of those voting are in favour of transfer, the Council will proceed accordingly. The result will be communicated to the Council for announcement shortly after the public holidays at Easter. Tenants will be notified individually.
PLEASE NOTE – Neither the Council nor FCHO can deal with queries about the ballot process. The ballot is run and managed independently by ERS whose instructions and contact details have been supplied to tenants with their ballot packs.
The Government authorised Oldham Council to consult tenants formally using the approved Offer Document. Documents and a DVD were delivered to all homes. Visits were made to all homes and 65% of tenants were contacted in person to ensure that everyone was familiar with the transfer offer and could make an informed choice when asked to vote.
This Stage 1 consultation continued until 16 February and allowed tenants to make representations to the Council. Over 300 did so and the Council’s Cabinet had to consider the representations made before any further transfer steps could be taken.
Representations made included, in descending order, positive, unsure and negative comments about the Council’s proposal to transfer. Most significantly, no new issues were raised, formally or in doorstep discussions.
The Council, through its Cabinet, therefore decided on 17 February not to amend its transfer offer and to let tenants have their say through an independent secret ballot as soon as practicable.
Stock Transfer Roadshow invite week 1 & 2
Stock Transfer Roadshow invite week 3 & 4, 24/08/09 – 05/09/09
Stock Transfer Roadshow invite week 5 & 6, 07/09/09 – 19/09/09
Tenants Conference 10th August 2009 6-9pm
Last year we reported Oldham Council’s decision to transfer the current housing stock. The ownership of Council homes (excluding those in PFI Two and Four schemes) would transfer to a new Registered Provider of Social Housing, subject to a tenants' ballot.
The proposed new landlord will be First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO), newly converted to stand alone as a not for profit Registered Provider. Once converted, FCHO will be able to access the money required to achieve even better standards in tenants’ homes and keep them in tip top condition over the years to come.
The decision followed advice from the Housing Options Panel, on which tenants were the biggest group. It took full account of the excellent feedback from over three thousand tenants responding to the survey earlier in the year.
Besides giving tenants the main choice, through a ballot, late in the year, the Council promised contact with tenants over the next few months. This commitment is essential in order to give people a proper say. It will help to ensure that the key future management details and standards will be informed and driven by tenant voices. The tenants’ ballot will allow everyone to vote on a very detailed offer that the Council will draw up following consultation with tenants over the next few months.
Since the New Year work has started on three main first steps towards involving tenants fully.
Those steps are:
Oldham Transfer Tenants Forum
Another new tenant group has been formed to work with the Council and advisers to make sure the Council’s offer document covers and addresses the things that matter to tenants. Over thirty tenants will be working hard for up to six months on the task. The Forum is full of more new faces, and represents the widest practical cross section of communities, ages and genders. The tenant members are all volunteers who showed their interest in participation by response to last year’s survey of all Oldham’s tenants.
Independent Tenant Adviser (ITA)
To help the Tenants’ Forum and to act as an impartial adviser to all Oldham tenants, a specialist adviser has been appointed to work alongside the project.
The ITA will also produce for all tenants a report analysing the Council’s offer, before the ballot takes place.
The short-listing and appointment was carried out by a small group of tenants already experienced in making a strong tenant voice heard. They all worked with the Council on the Housing Options Panel. They chose North West based PS Consultants for the job. PS Consultants first met with the Tenants’ Forum in February and have started a programme of work to help tenants through the rest of the process. They can be contacted at any time on 0800 0192 262.
Visit http://www.psconsultants.org.uk/oldham.htm
Home Visits to all tenants
Everyone will receive a note in late February giving further notice of a visit from a First Choice officer. Making personal contact with everybody will be an important feature of the process towards transfer. It is a chance for tenants to make sure they understand the issues. It is an opportunity to raise questions and point out what improvements to homes neighbourhoods and services are still needed. It is the perfect opportunity for the Council and First Choice Homes to make sure that tenants needs and wishes are being heard and met in the offer that will be made later in the year. There is no need to worry about this visit. It will not take any longer than needed and will be friendly and informal. We all need tenants’ help to create the best offer.
Freephone: 0800 074 0680
Email: stock.transfer@oldham.gov.uk
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