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Five more Second Stage Transfer ballots get go-ahead
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| Thursday 11th March 2010 |
More than 1000 tenants in Glasgow will be given a chance to vote next month (April 2010) on plans to transfer their Glasgow Housing Association homes to community ownership.
GHA Board has approved business plans from five community-based housing associations who want to take ownership of a total of 1037 homes under the process known as Second Stage Transfer (SST).
And the Scottish Housing Regulator has given approval, in principle, for GHA tenants in the five Local Housing Organisations (LHOs) to be balloted on the plans.
An initial consultation period in each area will take place week beginning Monday, March 8, giving tenants the chance to consider the detailed proposals.
Ballot papers will then be issued in April with tenants given three weeks to respond. It is expected that if a majority of tenants voting in each area are in favour of the plans, the homes will transfer in the summer.
The five LHOs where tenants will be balloted are:
• Blairtummock LHO – where 178 properties in Blairtummock in Easterhouse would transfer to Blairtummock Housing Association
• Cathcart HA LHO - where 283 properties in Cathcart in the South Side would transfer to Cathcart and District Housing Association
• Levernwood Housing Association LHO - where 69 properties in Levernwood in Nitshill would transfer to Rosehill Housing Co-operative
• Holmbyre LHO - where 119 properties in Holmbyre in Castlemilk would transfer to Thenew Housing Association, and
• Wellhouse Tenants Direct - where 388 properties in Wellhouse in Greater Easterhouse would transfer to Wellhouse Housing Association
GHA Tenant Chair Sandra Forsythe said: “We are committed to delivering Second Stage Transfer where it is what tenants want and I’m delighted more tenants will be given a say in just a few weeks on the future of their homes.”
Cathcart & District Housing Association Director Christine Leitch said: “Cathcart & District Housing Association are delighted that negotiations with GHA have reached this stage. The Association is committed to empowering local tenants and believes that Second Stage Stock Transfer will give the people of Cathcart and Mount Florida a real say in respect of their housing.”
Joe Williamson, director of Wellhouse Housing Association, said: “Wellhouse HA has 15 years’ experience and a proven track record of delivering high-quality housing as well as new facilities and services for our tenants. We believe SST will provide real benefits for the community and we are delighted to have the opportunity to converse with local people to ask them what they would like and then to deliver the services they require.”
Cathie Mulligan, Chairperson of Blairtummock Housing Association, said: “We have waited a while for the chance to move towards SST, but we are raring to go. We have proven over the years that we are much more than just a landlord and this ballot gives our LHO tenants the chance to enjoy the full benefits of true community ownership.”
The five LHOs which will go to ballot next month are among 29 local communities in a timetable for SST which could see up to 16,500 homes transfer in 2010 and 2011.
So far, Six Second Stage Transfers – involving 1929 homes - have gone ahead. These involved Ardenglen (285 homes); Cassiltoun (Castle Stuart) (526); Parkhead (Crossview) (68); Shettleston (728); Glasgow West (Hyndland) (127) and Provanhall (195).
At the end of last year a majority of tenants who voted did so in favour of transfer to Queens Cross HA (Hamiltonhill) (604 homes) and Cernach HA (420 homes). The transfers will happen in March. |
| Posted by Kim for Glasgow Housing Association Ltd. (GHA) |
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