THE proposal to merge West Somerset and Taunton Deane raises an interesting question about the housing stock.
West Somerset’s council housing was sold off in 1998 to Magna, against tenants’ wishes, however at that time councils did not have to adhere to their tenants’ views.
Taunton Deane still retains its council housing and when the option to sell off to a housing association a number of years ago was proposed, it was overwhelmingly rejected by tenants and by this time the rules had changed so that councils couldn’t go against their tenants’ wishes.
If the two councils do merge, what happens to the housing stock?
I’m concerned it could be used as an excuse to revisit selling off Taunton Deane’s housing stock and we know what a waste of millions of pounds that was. That could have been spent on the actual housing!
PATRICIA ROWE
Wiveliscombe
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