| UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch |
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Edinburgh housing victory leads the way The rejection by Edinburgh council house tenants of housing stock transfer is having an effect on changing national housing policy. Not only did the Edinburgh vote open the floodgates for 'no' votes in the Highlands, Stirling and Renfrewshire but also the new leader and deputy leader of the Labour Party and the new SNP led Scottish Executive have recognised the need to change the current policy and to loosen the financial noose around the neck of council housing funding. Before the ballot a whole host of politicians said that stock transfer was the only method of getting the much needed money to repair and improve council housing. So when UNISON campaigned for a No Vote we were told by a host of politicians that we were being reckless as there was no prospect of changing national policy. There is only one thing UNISON would like to reply to them "We told you so!" UNISON's recent national conference voted to keep the pressure up and tenants and trade unionists from Edinburgh will be attending the national Defend Council Housing conference in London on July 12. We want to see new council houses built and to free up enough money so that the necessary improvements can be made so that council estates can become places where people want to live. |
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