Search DCH site A A A A Register for updates

About DCH Contact DCH Parliamentary Group DCH Conference

National Conference Report - 2000

More than 220 delegates representing 86 tenant, trade union and campaign organisations attended the conference in Friends House, Manchester despite appalling transport problems at the height of the floods and rail cancellations.

The plenary session, chaired by Frank Fletcher from Bolton Fed heard from Alf Chandler, Chair. TAROE; George Brumwell, Gen.Sec. UCATT; Jean Geldart, Chair. UNISON Local Gvt. Service Group Executive and Jeremy Corbyn MP.

Between them they explained the government's privatisation agenda in terms of the wider issues of globalisation and talked about the impact of the campaign to date - particularly the growing support over the summer from union conferences and MPs. They outlined the case against privatisation and argued why and how the money for investment could be found. The seperate interests of tenants and council workers and the overriding commond interest were also discussed. Importantly, they also moved the discussion on highlighting a number of ways in which council housing could be improved and challenging the attempt to paint council housing as a 'last option' for those with no other alternative.

Workshops covered 'Building local campaigns' (Alan Walter, Camden DCH), the 'History of the Tenants Movement' (Mike Greenhalf, NE Derbyshire UNISON), 'Using the Media' (Ron Canter, SHOUT) 'Housing Finance' (Dexter Whitfield from the Centre for Public Services) and Nick Strauss, Hackney Fed on 'After Transfer'.

A conference report, policy statement and campaign statement are available as .pdf files. You need Acrobat software - free download - to open these files. There is also a general letter requesting support for the campaign.

George Brumwell (General Secretary UCATT) who was the first speaker and Alan Walter who moved the policy statement summing up the conference The conference provided an important opportunity for new campaign activists to ask for help and for well established campaigns to share their experience and discuss tactics.

There was a good mix of experienced TA and Tenants Federation Officers, Branch Officers and shop stewards from both white and blue collar council union organisations as well as individual tenants who had come along to find out more about the campaign and the issues involved.

There were no frills provided and none expected. This was not another one of the increasing number of 'seminars' with flip charts that the housing consultation industry likes so much. Delegates grabbed a butty and mug of tea during a quick break taking their food into the workshop session so as to make the most of the time available.

Alf Chandler (Chair of TAROE) who addressed the conference and Frank Fletcher (Ass Sec TAROE) who chaired the opening session
Read PDFs Defend Council Housing
Contact Us
Useful External Links