GMB and Islington Council to mobilize 40,000 tenants to oppose housing act
GMB and Islington Council join forces to mobilize 40,000 tenants to oppose housing and planning act.
This pernicious act is ill-conceived, divisive and damaging and must be axed says GMB London.
GMB is calling for the Housing and Planning Act that will come into force from April 2017 to be scrapped. Islington council Labour Group and GMB are combining to make sure all 40,000 tenants in Islington are aware of the changes that planned to come in from April 2017.
Labour councils and trades unions should seek to mobilise opposition to the Housing and Planning Act which will force Islington and all other councils to sell off hundreds of council houses every year making it even harder to find affordable houses in the country. Islington, being forced to sell off high value properties when they become empty, will lose over 300 council properties every year.
While GMB welcome the dropping of the ‘Pay to Stay’ part of the act which would have forced tenants to pay 15% more tax for every pound they earn over £40,000, the act is still intending to stop lifetime tenancies, ending the security that tenants are currently offered.
A meeting to discuss the act is being held on Monday 5th December 2016, 6.30pm-8pm at:
Half Moon Crescent Community Centre
183 Wynford Road
N1 9TZ
An Axe the Housing Act demonstration takes place outside Parliament, Old Palace Yard, SW1P 3JY at 12 noon on Wednesday 23 November to coincide with the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.
Warren Kenny, GMB London regional secretary said, “This pernicious act is ill-conceived, divisive and damaging and must be axed. The Chartered Institute of Housing has warned that 350,000 social rented homes could be lost. Selling social housing, at a time of dire shortages of homes for rent at affordable prices, is scandalous and irresponsible madness.
In addition this act will introduce compulsory fixed-term tenancies of between 2 and 10 years on tenants, ending the benefits of lifetimes secure tenancies. This is yet another attack on working people who should be able to rely upon decent, secure and affordable homes.”
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Contact: Helen Purcell on 07813 542046; Warren Kenny on 07843 632394; Tony Warr 07710 631336; Dave Powell 07710 631349 or Keith Williams 07710 631339
