Challenge to housing stock transfer fails

An attempt to block the transfer of 6,700 council homes from Wycombe District Council to a housing association has ended after pressure group Defend Council Housing failed to secure legal aid funding for a judicial review challenge to the decision.

The pressure group was unable to persuade the Legal Services Commission that the action had more than 50% chance of success.

Following the refusal of legal aid, the transfer of council-owned housing to the Red Kite Housing Association took place earlier this week. The transfer followed a consultation exercise undertaken by the council which resulted in tenants backing the plan in a ballot.

Paul Burnham of Defend Council Housing said: “We have worked hard in the past few weeks to put up a legal challenge to the transfer, but in the end were not able to do so.

“People still need housing that is decent, secure, affordable and democratically accountable. Supporters of Defend Council Housing will therefore continue to oppose rotten policies such as 'Affordable Rent', which brings near-market rents and time-limited tenancies, promising only a future of insecurity and social exclusion.”

The leader of Wycombe District Council, Alex Collingwood, told the Bucks Free Press: “I'm really pleased because I think common sense has prevailed. I think the important bit is it's not like any other transfer, it's led by the tenants and their (Red Kite's) plans are immeasurably better than other transfers. To me, it always felt like Paul Burnham was going after the wrong target.”