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Socialist councillors in action

Stop attacking disabled tenants

TENANTS WITH disabilities are resisting attempts to deny them homes in Coventry's Hillfields area. They will barricade themselves into their current homes, due for demolition through a compulsory purchase order, unless they get new local homes that the council promised last year. They want to have the promised local housing built before they have to move.

Rob Windsor, Coventry Socialist councillor

Last year the Socialist Party exposed plans to demolish twelve 10-year old specially built flats for people with disabilities as part of a 'regeneration scheme'. Under pressure from Socialist councillors, the council promised new homes of the same or better standard locally. They now want to renege on that compromise.

A compulsory purchase order was served and, with the Socialist Party's help, tenants appealed. At the public inquiry, the council had four officers on their side and a London barrister who didn't so much have a plum in his mouth as a whole treeful of them. On our side were three tenants, a local GP, Socialist Party councillor Dave Nellist and me.

The QC attacked me as only being "interested in the narrow concerns of people in his local area" - very telling! The council won. The New Labour government has changed the law to make it easier for developers to get their way.

The council said they needed the site of the disabled housing before local replacement homes could be built. They proposed that tenants should move to isolated bungalows two miles away until the promised homes were built.

Angry tenants decided to stay put until the council fulfilled its promise. They feared that they would be moved out and then told that new homes were not possible.

Socialist councillors and party members went door to door, building support for a solidarity campaign including mass pickets to resist bailiffs. 60 attended a public meeting where local people agreed to a campaign including protests and resistance.

After that, the council started working harder to try to resolve this issue. From giving no firm promises that the new homes would be built, they're now pushing through a planning application and trying to find local "Interim" homes.

But at the next council meeting they are producing a paper to backtrack on their commitment to provide replacement homes before people have to move.

Tenants aim to protest at that meeting which would set a precedent for councils to wriggle out of promises because of pressure from big developers. We urge readers to protest at Coventry council's attack on vulnerable tenants.

Send protest letters to Ken.taylor@coventry.gov.uk or to Ken Taylor, Leader, Coventry City council, Council House, Earl Street, Coventry, CV1 5RR.
Send copies of protest letters or letters of support to Councillor Rob Windsor, Socialist Party group, Council House, Earl Street, Coventry, CV1 5RR. email
robertwindsor64@googlemail.com Tel 02476 453793.

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