Hull MP welcomes historic Bransholme vote

Hull North MP Diana Johnson has welcomed today's ballot result that will mean North Bransholme Estate tenants getting large-scale investment in their homes.

It was announced today that in a ballot among the tenants of around 1,200 Council homes in the Bransholme North area, 451 voted to transfer their homes to Riverside Housing Group, with 346 voting against.

This represents a 'yes' vote by 56.58% to 43.42%. The turnout was 64.93%.

This is the first successful vote by Council tenants in Hull to transfer to an alternative social landlord. It will mean an initial £25 million five year programme of housing modernisation works, including the creation of at least 200 new jobs and training places for local people.

Hull's Lib Dem Council recently threatened to shelve this stock transfer ballot, despite years of planning and consultation with local people. Diana Johnson MP had to intervene with Housing Minister John Healey MP to ensure that tenants were given the opportunity to vote on the future of their homes.

Diana Johnson MP said: "The Labour Government supports council tenants having a real choice about the way their housing is managed and improved.

"Since 1997, many council tenants around the country have had the opportunity to decide the future of their estates, choosing either to stay with their local authority or transfer to another not-for-profit social landlord.

"But this is the first time that tenants in Hull have taken this opportunity.

"Today's vote means a level of investment in tenants' homes greater than would have been available under Hull City Council. I congratulate these tenants and their local councillors who have worked so hard on this project over the past decade. This has been a tenant-led effort and I was pleased to assist them in getting the ministerial decision that finally resulted in this ballot going ahead.

"It is vital now that, no matter if or how they voted in the ballot, all Bransholme North residents work together to get the best from this investment and ensure that all the pledges made to them are kept."

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