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23,349 say yes
Council Housing returns to the control of Sheffield City Council Views of Council Housing at Parson Cross
Sheffield Council wins controversial ballot to bring running of 42,000 homes back under its control
AN OVERWHELMING majority of tenants have voted to return control of their homes to Sheffield Council.
A total of 26,465 votes was cast in the ballot on the future management of estates - and 88.2 per cent were in favour of a return to council management.
Just 11.8 per cent voted to continue the current arrangement, where arms-length management organisation Sheffield Homes is paid an annual fee to run properties.
Turnout among the 42,000 households was 55 per cent - as high as a general election, and almost double the level seen at local elections in some wards.
Sheffield Council cabinet member for housing Coun Harry Harpham said: “Tenants have voted with an extremely strong voice.
“The result is a show of confidence in the city council and particularly the Labour administration.
“The detailed business will now start on planning how we manage properties in the future.”
The ballot followed a £400,000 consultation exercise which included two letters sent to every household and public meetings held around the city.
Coun Harpham promised a wide consultation process will now begin to find out tenants’ views about how management should work in the future.
The first step has involved further letters being sent to every household immediately asking for their ideas.
Sheffield Homes will continue to manage properties until the end of March 2014, when new arrangements will begin.
The organisation has won praise in recent years, receiving a top rating from the audit commission for the last three years plus several independent awards for performance.
But the council believes returning management in-house will save £1.2 million in running costs, which can be spent on improving estates.
The majority of Sheffield Homes’ 1,000 staff - many of whom worked for the council before the firm was set up in 2004 - will be returned to the local authority.
But Coun Harpham said he could not rule out some job losses.
Redundancies are most likely in top-level management and ‘back office’ roles, where savings are to be made.
Tenants’ representatives today welcomed the ballot result.
June Smith, who chairs the Flower Estate Community Association in Wincobank, said: “We feel safer with the council managing our homes.
“Under Sheffield Homes, councillors had less influence and less work seemed to be done maintaining our area.
“I think it will be more democratic to have housing back under the council’s control.”
Gordon Garratty, chairman of Fraser Tenants’ and Residents’ Association in Woodseats, added: “I was highly satisfied with the council before Sheffield Homes came about.
“I think it’s good that councillors will have full control over housing again.”
But Linda Daniels, of Brushes Tenants’ and Residents’ Association, Firth Park, said: “Tenants were not given enough information before the vote on which to make their decision.
“People were not told about Sheffield Homes’ good record when it is the best-rated housing management company in the country.
“Some people didn’t even realise they were not being managed by the council at present.
“I think tenants should also have been asked to vote on a full range of options, including transfer to a housing association.
“The council now needs to get everyone’s view and hold an open and honest process to come up with future management arrangements.”
Opposition Lib Dem housing spokeswoman Coun Alison Brelsford said: “If the tenants of Sheffield have spoken through a fair and open ballot, then the council should be bound by the decision and go ahead with the change, ensuring a smooth transition.
“Tenants were promised that at least £1.2m a year would be saved through reductions in management costs if they came back within the council. Liberal Democrats will be watching to ensure that promise is honoured.”
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Comments
There are 25 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
Woodseats Sammy
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 08:50 AMSheffield Homes. Lol. When my brother moved into his flat in September 2003, the block was plagued with junkies, graffitti, anti social behaviour, from intruders. Residents were told electronic fob-controlled doors would be fitted for increased security. They now have been, over eight years later.
tylerdurden
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 11:11 PM“Some people didn’t even realise they were not being managed by the council at present" Says it all really, this just enforces that fact that tenants were unable to make an informed decision. Much like the the 2010 general election, people are fed up, with long waiting lists, slow repairs etc and believe a change in service deliverer will solve all the problems, rather than addressing the actual issues of the service currently being delivered. Either way, it will be the provided by same people, in the same offices using the same systems, the only difference with be the name on the direct debit when they take your weekly rent!
jgh
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 06:35 PMThanks to the current Government reversing the previous Labour Government's policy of bribing councils to put housing management out to ALMOs, the council has been able to bring the management back in house.
samspam
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 05:12 PMPost 4 what do you base your claim that SH executives will get a payout from this? I can't see how losing a contract equates to a) a bonus or b) a job... surely only in the square mile is failure rewarded with big cheques?
Charlie Farleigh
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 04:44 PMAre you seriously trying to tell me that the Sheffield Homes directorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs will transfer across to SCC and the control of numpties like Mothersole rather than trouser a massive taxpayer-funded cash jackpot bonanza? Get ready to have your wallets and purses emptied courtesy of the public sector merry-go-round!!
seenitall
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 04:17 PM#17 Statutory pay levels for Council staff? I bet they are above the national minima that many folk around these parts get!
chris61
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 03:22 PMIt is good that Sheffield tenants were given the opportunity to vote, but were they given true facts. While Sheffield Homes is an organisation in its own right, its task was the day to day management of the Sheffield Council Homes. The policy was governed by Sheffield City Council. If this is not correct, look at the refuse situation. Veolia are the company running the day to day operations, but the policy is governed by the council. If this was not so, how come it is Sheffield City Council who have decided to go to fortnightly black bin collections. Again, as per usual, the council is hoodwinking the population of Sheffield. How can anyone trust the management arm of the council?
waywoodwind
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 02:41 PMComment removed by moderator
coaxingstar71
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 01:26 PMJudging by all the misinformed jibba jabba on here, I worry that you folks are allowed to vote for anything. Farleigh (conspiracy theorist) - don't where you get the idea that regular staff have ever or are getting fat pay offs is beyond me. Council and Sheffield Homes staff only get what they are statutorily entitled to and it isn't much. Ukip - there are regional mortgage schemes and I'm sure councils would like to do more. Problem is they aren't banks and simply don't have enough cash upfront to offer mortgage deals. Iseeeverything - yes just by spending the whole time visiting properties is going to solve all societies problems... moron. Various - the savings relate to the yearly management fees charged by Sheffield Homes. Isn't it obvious that long term by removing those fees, savings will be made along with reduced staffing levels, overheads etc. I agree that the ballot has nothing whatsoever to do with any confidence shown in the Labour Admin, it's got nothing to do with it. At the end of the day this is purely and simply a business decision and the voters have basically rubber stamped it. I feel for a lot of staff who will lose their jobs but this was always going to happen.
Iwanttruth
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 01:17 PMReason, I voted against it but who the hell do you think you are calling the tenants who did vote for it morons. It just sounds like sour grapes to me and I think you are so bothered by this because they are not doing what YOU want and unlike you I believe in true democracy and I am prepared to accept what the results even though I don't agree with it and if you are planning to buy your home what difference does it make to you anyway.
Reason
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 11:54 AMWhy are we not surprised with this result? Harry Harpham has mislead and lied to his back teeth about the benefits of going back under council control. Got to credit his propaganda though...most successful since Joseph Gobbels managed to hoodwink the ignorant masses in Germany. Whilst Sheffield Homes have strived to provide services to the customers, he has consistently stabbed their staff in the back. The council even advertised a new executive post for someone to manage the change over PRIOR to the votes being counted. Democracy? don't make me laugh, Harpham wouldn't know what the meaning of the word was if he swallowed a dictionary. Sheffield Homes have shed over 300 jobs in the past 3 years, whilst the councils departments have continued to recruit staff on a weekly basis. Now these same staff have been told that they will be included in the councils job cuts...Harpham, you are the lowest of the low type of scum and hopefully at the next council elections, you will be booted out on your little stunted backside. By the way Fairleigh, (not that you'll understand this) Sheffield Homes staff did not receive any hand outs when they were forced to leave the old housing department and go into Sheffield Homes, and they certainly won't get any renumeration when they get sucked back in again. The council tenants of Sheffield deserve people like Harpham running them, they are total morons if they think that they are going to get a better deal under him and his cronies. As for the apathetic ones that didn't vote...you deserve to be treated like the rest of them for not voting in the first place. Me? I am planning to buy my house, so that the council and their 'greedy' political masters have no say in it.
AJWood
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 11:21 AMSheffield City Council owe it to tenants, council tax payers and their voters to make the business case for this decision public. Come on, show us the numbers! ££££££££££ will be saved. How are you going to do it? Surely you have done the maths before you have put hundreds of jobs at risk...
Bl4de1980
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:23 AMChange on this level always costs. A more effective route would have been to work with the existing ALMO to look into how to cut in house more efficiently, something I am sure Sheffield Homes have already been looking into!
Captain Sensible 4U
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:15 AMConsultation excercise cost £400,000!!! Someone please tell me that this is a misprint. The council believes that it will save £1.2 million in running costs. Has anyone explained how this will be achieved? I somehow doubt that this proposed saving will ever materialise.
tld83
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:06 AMWhy should people who dont live in social housing have a say in what happens to it? Sounds like you have a huge chip on your shoulder archangel....
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