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Austin criticises undemocratic ballot of tenants |
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Written by Austin Mitchell
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03 March 2006 |
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Austin has written to Tower Hamlets Council, the Electoral Reform Society and the Housing Minister criticising the conduct of a recent ballot of tenants. Tenants felt intimidated by the presence of staff campaigning for a transfer of housing from the council to a housing association, and say they were deliberately misled.
Their complaints include:
elderly tenants opposed to transfer who had HARCA staff knocking on their door 5-6 times within six hours, and leaving the tenants frightened to voice their opposition to transfer
tenants told by Harca employees that if they were opposed to transfer they did not need to vote
tenants asked to give replacement ballot papers directly to HARCA staff
vulnerable tenants subject to intimidating home visits; with HARCA staff refusing to leave when asked, and bullying the tenant into voting for transfer against his wishes
tenant phoning a Tower Hamlets Council number, to be told ’there will be no homes for your children if you don’t vote YES’
more than twenty HARCA staff and supporters congregated inside and outside the polling station during voting in person, held in a HARCA office, apparently having a party inside the office including drinking alcohol. This intimidating and insulting behaviour creates the impression that HARCA are already in control, so there’s no point in trying to oppose them. Conduct of this kind during a formal ballot is deeply insulting to the democratic process
As well as being Chair of the Commons Council Housing Group, Austin is also a Board member of the ERS.
Austin said: ’Our Commons Council Housing Group inquiry last year catalogued an incredible number of examples of local councils abusing the democratic process to achieve yes votes in stock transfer ballots. Tower Hamlets council has the worst record by far. These latest allegations show total contempt for the tenants and for Britain’s democratic traditions. This isn’t Iraq. It’s Tower Hamlets.
’I have written today to Tower Hamlets Council and the ERS demanding they halt these ballots immediately, clean up their act, conduct these consultation exercises democratically and work to a defined and fair set of rules.
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