 |
 |
 |
 |
Burstow and Brake demand a fair deal for Sutton's tenants
March 26, 2009 9:02 AM
MPs Paul Burstow and Tom Brake, along with Jean Crossby of SFTRA (centre) and fellow tenants deliver their petition to Downing Street
Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, and fellow local MP Tom Brake joined forces with tenant and Council Leaders yesterday to lobby Parliament, petition the Prime Minister and meet Housing Minister Iain Wright MP, calling for 'A Fair Deal for Sutton's Tenants.'
The lobby was led by Jean Crossby, Chair of Sutton Federation of Tenants and Residents Association (SFTRA). Jean was joined by a group of 70 tenants who braved the spring weather in an open top bus to deliver their petitions to Downing Street calling on the Government to stop redistributing tenants' rents to other boroughs when it is needed to improve Sutton's housing.
Last year £10m was paid by Sutton tenants to the Treasury and this year that will rise by £750,000 representing 38p in every pound of rent tenants pay.
After delivering the petition to Downing Street, the tenants group, along with Messrs Burstow and Brake and Council Leader Sean Brennan met with Housing Minister Iain Wright to discuss the issue.
(l-r) Cllr Ruth Dombey, Paul Burstow MP, Chair of SFTRA Jean Crossby, Tom Brake MP and Lead Cllr Sean Brennan and tenants calling on the Goverment for a fair deal
Jean explained in detail to the Minister why Sutton tenants need and deserve greater investment while the Minister gave a positive response to Councillor Brennan's call to release money into Sutton's Major Repairs Allowance this year rather than wait until 2010-11 as currently planned.
Speaking after the meeting
Paul Burstow MP said
"The Treasury is making a profit out of tenants' rents. That is wrong.
"We left the Minister in no doubt that if the Government want to be fair to tenants the rule must change so that the rents they pay are spent on maintaining local homes first.
Cllr Sean Brennan said
"This campaign is about the council and MPs working with local tenants to demand the Government give tenants a better deal in where their rent goes. We made our case very strongly to the Minister and though we made some progress, we will keep pushing for a fairer system"
What would you like to do next?
-
Subscribe for updates
Follow the party's activity on...
- Twitter:
- Liberal Democrats
- Facebook:
- Liberal Democrats
- YouTube:
- Liberal Democrats