Speaking Out

"I am strongly in favour of the Arms Length Management Organisation [ALMO for short] that is being developed to take the ownership of Council homes into the future" said Councillor Phil Bateman today."But I am damned if I will succomb to our local Tory opponents inane statements about "Councillor Bateman being up to his old tricks". This 'Johnny Come Lately' has never had a conversation with me. He does not live in Wednesfield. He knows nothing about me and knows very little about the area he represents. I am keen that residents know this. His other Conservative Councillor colleague in the mean time remains silent as always. I do believe that this issue is serious for the 1,500people living in Council owned homes in Wednesfield North so I will repeat what I said on the 4th October."

Councillor Phil Bateman said again today;" I am strongly in favour of the move to the new Arms Length Management Organisation [ALMO]. I hope that tenants will take some comfort from my lead. I know that making a decision for many of our tenants will be difficult. Many will find that the options are difficult to come to terms with. I hope that by taking a lead with advice it may make it easier for some. What I do know is that making no decision, or voting for a ‘no change option’ is not the approach to take.
The ALMO will be a Board with one third independent members drawn from the wider community, one third tenants, and one third Councillors.
The ALMO will leave ownership of the housing stock in the hands of the City Council. Tenants will be continue to enjoy all the present legal safeguards of being a Council tenant, including the right to buy at the discount they choose.
The City Council will also receive from Government the resources for significant extra capital investment to deliver the decent social homes target.Government approvals will come either in the forms of capital grants or permissions to borrow with additional housing subsidy to cover the consequential capital finance charges. I.e. Tenants rents will not need to be increased.

The City Council will retain as landlord the duty to review each year rents and service charges, as well as approving cash limits for delivering management and management services. These are the reasons why I would urge Wednesfield North residents to strongly consider voting for the ALMO option when they are asked to later this year.”