Last chance to use your vote

Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council is urging any tenants yet to cast their votes on the future of their homes to do so now as the closing date looms.

The Council’s 2,000 tenants are currently being balloted on whether their homes should transfer to Berwick Borough Housing or stay with the Council.

Tenants have until noon on Friday, 23 November for their postal votes to be received by independent ballot specialists Electoral Reform Services.

Council Leader Isabel Hunter said:
“Many tenants have already returned their ballot papers but we want all tenants to exercise their right to vote. It is their homes we are talking about and it is only right that they should decide their futures. My message is simple – post your vote no later than Wednesday, 21 November to make sure that your vote counts and you have your say.”

If a majority of tenants who vote in the ballot vote yes, homes are expected to transfer in the early summer of next year to Berwick Borough Housing. This is a brand new, not for profit housing organisation that the Council has helped to set up that would form a new group with existing housing provider Three Rivers Housing Association.

Berwick Borough Housing would not face the same financial restrictions as the Council and would be able to finance an investment programme of around £27 million in the first five years alone – around £15 million more than the Council could deliver.

This is mainly due to the fact that Berwick Borough Housing would get to keep all the rent money it collects to spend on tenants homes and services - unlike the Council who have to send some of the rent money it collects back to central Government to help subsidise other councils. This amounted to around £1.3m this year alone.