Given that whatever the figure is to bring the whole Council Housing Stock up to standard, whether £650 million or less, as reported in The Argus, serious financial consequences are involved.
Brighton and Hove City Council would have to obtain the sum directly from the Government or, as the Government has promised by 2004, enable the council to borrow money more effectively as housing associations do at present.
That way tenants would not lose their security of tenure and also retain the ability to lobby and make representations to the council and MPs. Any move to a housing association would not mean a sudden gush of free funding.
Either government funding would be required or, in the event of commercially borrowing the money, rents charged would have to increase significantly.
Given that 75 per cent of tenants are on housing benefit, this would again require additional public money.
-Steve Collier, former South Portslade councillor, Hove
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