'Fourth Option' - investment to improve existing and build a new generation of first class council housing

Encouraging developments - so step up pressure for 'Fourth Option'
Articles in the national press report that Gordon Brown intends to build a new generation of council homes (see Press Archive).

It's an encouraging development, we've got the government's attention, so now we need to step up the pressure to turn sound bites into concrete proposals that will provide the 'Fourth Option' to:

  1. Enable local authorities to improve all existing council homes and estates
  2. Support local authorities start a new council house building programme
  3. Ensure that local authorities have sufficient revenue to maintain all council homes in future years

Book now to attend the DCH national conference on July 12 to help refine the detail of our demands and organise to kill off any attack on our lifelong secure tenancies or introduce means testing. We want to recreate council housing as decent, affordable, secure and accountable housing that all can be proud to live in - not a stigmatised transit camp for only the most desperate.

Defend Council Housing has posted a 'Fourth Option' for council housing
e-petition on the Downing Street website.
Please forward on this email to help collect signatures

It's clear that housing was a major issue in the elections last week and it promises to have a high profile in the forthcoming Labour Leadership and Deputy Leadership elections. A new You.Gov poll put housing top of the agenda for Labour Party members with 'An overwhelming 82% believe "funding should be available to local councils to build low-cost council housing on the same basis as housing associations".' (Guardian 9 May Labour members see housing and education as priorities - poll)

Please help the campaign:

  1. Help campaign against any stock transfer, PFI, ALMO or sales of homes in your area
  2. Organise a delegation of tenants, councillors and trade unionists to attend the DCH national conference on July 12
  3. Order and distribute campaign material in your organisation and area (new DCH newspaper and 'Case for Council Housing in 21st Century Britain' pamphlet)
  4. Sign the e-petition and encourage others to sign too
  5. Ask your MP to sign EDM 136 Funding Decent Council Housing and join the Council Housing group of MPs at Parliament
  6. Put DCH's Ten Questions to all candidates in the Labour leadership election
  7. Distribute campaign material at tenants and union conferences and other events (email to get material posted to you)
  8. Organise a Stand Up For Council Housing public meeting in your area with a broad platform to support the demand for the 'Fourth Option'

Ask candidates to sign up to DCH's Ten Questions

DCH has produced 'Ten Questions to Candidates' for those standing in the Labour Party leadership elections. Circulate the questions to everyone who has a vote and distribute at any hustings meetings.

DCH is holding a national conference, July 12 at TUC Congress House, London

Download conference Flyer & Programme, circulate locally and organise a delegation of tenants, trade unionists and councillors from your area to attend. Propose to your council that they sponsor the delegation - they always say they want tenants to be well informed and regularly fund tenants to attend other 'similar' events (individual tenants £5; sponsored tenants, trade unionists, councillors, etc £20)

Further information from www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Organise a broad delegation of tenants, trade unionists and councillors to the DCH National Conference on July 12 at TUC Congress House, London

Sign the 'Fourth Option' for council housing e-petition on the Downing Street website;

Bulk order copies of the latest DCH newspaper to distribute to tenants, trade unionists and councillors in your area (£18 per 100 / £100 per 1000);

Tenants say Stand Up For Council Housing

Raise DCH's 'Ten Questions to Candidates'

Affiliate & donate to DCH