WITH reference to the letter headed 'Send back the housing green paper,' let me say how pleased I am to see someone take an interest in this important issue.

The green paper has nothing to do with LSVT (large scale voluntary transfer). It has been about for many years, brought in by a previous Tory government, including the right to sell off housing for the elderly and disabled. The writer was right, there must be a majority vote in favour of transfer before the stock can be sold off.

It is interesting to recall that when the Tories first introduced this scheme they wanted to include any tenant who didn't vote in the ballot as being in favour of the sell off (this got dropped because of the outrage it caused).

The current green paper is a consultation document, the first one in years on housing. This paper has no status in law and will undergo many changes before it becomes legislation. It does discuss LSVT but its proposals in that respect are not radical.

Why the Tory council chose the same time as the green paper time to consider selling off the housing stock I do not know, maybe councillors thought tenants would think the two were connected, I can assure you that is not the case. A report is due to go to the next housing meeting on September 12, making recommendation on LSVT but the tenants have the final say.

I am glad the gentleman who wrote in is happy with the current council and its 12 per cent rent increase because if the stock doesn't get sold off I expect there will be many more large rent increases to follow.

Cllr Cathy Mole,

Carol Avenue,

Bromsgrove.