LABOUR councillor Steve Allsopp has resigned from a shadow board which could become the new housing association responsible for Swindon Council’s housing stock.

Swindon Council is to ballot tenants on a plan to transfer all the properties to a new not-for-profit housing association in order to dodge a £158m bill from the Government.

The Conservative administration says this bill would prevent it from keeping the 10,500 homes at minimum standards of decency.

However, the Labour group opposes the transfer, claiming it would reduce democratic accountability.

Coun Allsopp said: “The Labour group had put me on to the shadow board of the proposed housing association in order to keep a close eye on the shadow board’s decisions.

“However, after attending the first shadow board meeting I learnt that this body would be approving the stock transfer ‘offer’ to tenants.

“Because of this, it would have been difficult for me as a shadow board member to campaign against a stock transfer – the Labour Party’s position.

“After speaking to the Labour group leader about this, I have taken the decision to stand down from the shadow board of the proposed Swindon Housing Association and the Labour group will not be offering a replacement on the board.

“I will now be spending all my time on this matter campaigning against any Swindon council house stock transfer.”

The board is being set up for a new proposed not-for-profit housing association after Housing Minister Grant Shapps approved the council’s bid to ballot tenants on transferring their housing stock to the new organisation.

The board will play a central role before and after the tenant ballot and, if tenants vote for the stock transfer, it would become the board of the new housing association.

Four councillors have been nominated – three Conservative and one Labour – and the council is interviewing to appoint four tenants and four independent expert members.

Coun Russell Holland, the cabinet member for One Swindon, communities and housing, said another councillor would be found to fill the vacant slot because there must be four councillors.

He said: “This is about tenants, their homes, their future and their choice. Whatever Coun Allsopp does is entirely a matter for him.

“My priority is to ensure the tenants have all the information they need to make an informed choice.

“There’s an independent tenant adviser, so any information the council puts out is checked by the adviser, because it’s more than a consultation, it’s a vote, the tenants will make the decision.”

Coun Holland said the council was negotiating with the Government to postpone the November ballot so tenants can have more time to ask questions.