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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tenants vote for housing transfer | Tenants vote for housing transfer |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Tenants in Inverclyde have voted overwhelmingly in favour of housing stock transfer. | Tenants in Inverclyde have voted overwhelmingly in favour of housing stock transfer. |
| Of the 4,564 people who took part in the ballot, 71% agreed to switch from local authority to community control. | |
| Tenants in the Highlands, Stirling, Edinburgh and Renfrewshire rejected transfer proposals in the last four ballots to be held in Scotland. | Tenants in the Highlands, Stirling, Edinburgh and Renfrewshire rejected transfer proposals in the last four ballots to be held in Scotland. |
| Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm said the vote would unlock £50m of investment in homes in Inverclyde. | Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm said the vote would unlock £50m of investment in homes in Inverclyde. |
| "I am delighted at this landmark decision by Inverclyde tenants," he said. | "I am delighted at this landmark decision by Inverclyde tenants," he said. |
| "It will see thousands of local people and their families benefit from £50m of new investment which will improve and upgrade their homes." | "It will see thousands of local people and their families benefit from £50m of new investment which will improve and upgrade their homes." |
| I am convinced that we can make a real difference to the lives of tenants by making sure that our housing is fit for the 21st century Roy SteelRiver Clyde Homes | |
| He said 1,000 new affordable homes would be made available for rent. | He said 1,000 new affordable homes would be made available for rent. |
| "This is a brilliant result for tenants and a huge step forward for the regeneration of Inverclyde," he added. | "This is a brilliant result for tenants and a huge step forward for the regeneration of Inverclyde," he added. |
| The result means that 7,500 homes will be transferred to the River Clyde Homes housing association and allow the council's housing debt to be written off with money from the Treasury. | |
| Roy Steel, chairman of River Clyde Homes, said: "I am absolutely delighted that we will now be able to work in partnership with tenants, employees and the council to improve people's housing conditions. | |
| "I am convinced that we can make a real difference to the lives of tenants by making sure that our housing is fit for the 21st century." | |
| 'Improved services' | |
| The result was also welcomed by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations. | |
| Chief executive Jacqui Watt said tenants had voted for a "huge increase" in investment in local housing. | |
| "That will mean improved services in their own homes and will also mean 1,000 new affordable homes in the area for people who desperately need them," she said. | |
| Three wholesale stock transfers of council homes have already taken place - in Glasgow, the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. | |
| A housing stock transfer has also been approved in the Western Isles while in Argyll and Bute tenants have voted in favour but the transfer has yet to take place. |