Stop GLC fror selling houses

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(Squat Against Sales)

AT Eigin Avenue, West London, there are 18 new flats occupied by 70 people, including 12 children.

These people are taking part in a Squat Against Sales, and were given a commitment by the Labour GLC in July that they would not be required to leave until the flats were let to council tenats, and that the homeless would be rehoused.

Now the GLC, as freeholders of the property, are taking these people to court to regain possession of the flats so they can sell them.

On October 13th the GLC ratified the decision of its Housing Committee, taken on on October 6th after the Labour Group meeting the day before, to give up fighting for the right to retain council homes earmarked for sale by the Conservatives.

Erosion

There are two causes for this defeat: the threat of surcharge and disqualification from office by the District Auditor, coupled with the financial and legal restraints imposed by the previous Tory GLC and central government.

Voters who oppose the erosion of public housing stock by sales will be disappointed and more cynical in future about the determination of Labour councillors But 23 councillors voted to continue 354 homes.

Dissent

Their decision is specially disturbing because it is so near to the stirring resolutions passed at Labour Party conference on support for local government in its fight against cuts and enforced sales and because the voice of dissent against the forced policy change was so small.

Only three councillors -Deirdre Woods, Andy Hastings, and Lesley Hammond voted against sales.

The Labour councillors on the Housing Committee are: Davies, Dimson, Garside, Gant, Hardy, Hart, Herbert, Hinds, Hughes, Langton, Livingstone, McFreat, Nicholson, Rolfe, Ross, Sieve, Stead, Hammond, Harris, and Wood.

There are six Tory councillors.

The Tory GLC formed a number of Estmancos (Estate Management Companies) to dispose of property under the 1980 Housing Act by selling to the private sector. Two of these companies were closed down by the Tories themselves before they lost control of the GLC.

Rocketting

On Labour's victory in the GLC elections and its subsequent July decision to relet housing stock in six Estmanco estates, it found itself having injunctions served against it by three Estmancos to prevent from reletting the properties.

The GLC is the majority shareholder in six Estmancos!

Legal opinion now instructs the GLC that they cannot wind up the six Estmancos - even though the Tories could do so. Stranger still is the legal opinion that the GLC is unable legally to form a company to administer the planned local Enterprise Board. The Tory group are trying to prevent the creation of what would in law be a company structure identical to an Estmanco.

Harass

'Squat Against Sales' are publicising the GLC decision and will be picketing High Court hearings on 20th October. In a petition presented to Gladys Dimson (chair of the Housing Committee, they have asked the GLC to take action on three fronts: firstly, to continue to 'contest the Tory court challenge to its election mandate' , secondly 'to withdraw the eviction notices against the Eigin Avenue Squat Against Sales' and thirdly 'to halt the squandering of £6,000 a week on anti-squatting forces and equipment at the three estates where flats are currently being kept empty awaiting sales'.

They state that they will continue 'indefinitely to fight against sales and harass as long as necessary all efforts to sell off the flats on the three sites' * Further information and petitions from: Elgin Avenue Squat Against Sales, Flat 47, Marble House, Elgin Avenue, London W9. (701 5691). De

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Socialist Organiser, Thursday22nd October, 1981 Page 7