Public and Commercial Services Union

Defend Council Housing is a tenant led campaign fighting for direct investment in council housing and against the government's agenda of privatising this important public service. PCS are one of a number of trade unions affiliated to the organisation.

Together we are campaigning for the fourth option which seeks the reinvestment of money gained from rent directly back into council housing to improve them or develop more modern housing.

Currently tenants are only being offered home improvements on the understanding their council home is then handed over to the private sector.

Why should PCS members support the campaign for the fourth option?

1. To protect public services - over 200 authorities face the threat of privatisation.

2. To ensure well presented and affordable homes for people today and for generations to come.

3. To allow councils to re-invest monies from rent in to renovating existing properties and the building of new homes.

4. The number of local authority dwellings completed in England has plummeted from 13,000 in 1990-91 to a pitiful 100 in 2004-05.

5. To provide homes for the 1.5 million people who are currently on council housing waiting lists.

6. To provide a viable alternative to buying or privately renting a home and to make Labour fulful their manifesto promise that by 2010 they would ensure all social tenants benefit from a decent, warm home with modern facilities.

At the 2006 Labour Party Conference a motion supporting the fourth option was carried for a third year in a row.

The council housing issue also reflects our concerns over the increased role of the third sector in the delivery of vital public services. Arms length management organisations set up with the specific remit to meet decent homes standard are discussing transferrring into the private sector or entering into partnerships with private companies rather than reverting back to councils.

This campaign gives PCS members the opportunity to work with other organisations and trade unions to call for decent, affordable, secure and accountable council housing for all who need it.

Defend Council Housing aims to ensure there is effective campaigning in all of the areas due to ballot on stock transfer and those planning arms length management organisations .