Hard fought Sefton transfer battle ends with a yes

Sefton Council tenants have voted to move to a new landlord in a reballot following a bitter transfer campaign tainted by allegations of dirty tricks.

In total 71 per cent of tenants who voted were in favour of transferring their homes to One Vision Housing, a new housing association being set up by the Merseyside council. The turnout was 55 per cent.

Fifty-five per cent of tenants who voted in September were against the stock transfer proposal on a turnout of nearly 70 per cent.

The council decision to reballot was agreed after an internal investigation into claims that anti-transfer campaigners had offered tenants £10 to vote no.

Syd Whitby, cabinet member for housing at the council, said the decision was 'great news' for Sefton tenants.

'It has been a difficult few months and a longer process than we had hoped for but we are absolutely delighted with the overall outcome.'

But Alan Walter, chair of Defend Council Housing, said the council had used 'unacceptable tactics to manipulate the democratic process to get the result it wanted'. '[The council's] accusations that no campaigners intimidated tenants in the first ballot have never been substantiated.'