[Councillor Cairns vened in another committee room) to…]

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Councillor Cairns vened in another committee room) to come and explain why they were appealing.

They said that they had not decided yet. Their legal advisors were asking the magistrates why they had found 12, Mason' Road a statutory nuisance. They would then consult with barristers about an appeal to the High Court.

We suggested that the money they were wasting on the preparation of an appeal could be put to better use by starting. to clear the two-year backlog of council house repairs which exists at the present time.

Six weeks ago they decided definitely to appeal to the High Court.

On September 11 the second case was heard and won. The council was ordered to repair the house within six weeks and pay £400. costs, to be divided between the solicitor, the Environmental Health Office and a photographer who helped prepare the evidence.

Did this decision make them change their minds?

No. Three weeks after this second case the Council decided to appeal to the Crown Court.

In this case they are appealing over the decision, not over a point of law as in my case...

After the decision to appeal we sent letters to all ¡Labour councillors condemning their action. What's your attitude Labour group?

We have been used as political pawns. The Labour group previously supported us and urged us on.

Now they are opposing us. We've been stabbed in the back. We're disillusioned with the Labour Council.

The Labour group said they wouldn't use Part III as a punishment but it's still used.

in one case a woman who'd been a "temporary tenant" for 15 years was told by the council that her home (see photo) was wanted for modernisation.

The Council told her if she didn't move to a home which was little better they would move her compulsorily.

In our opinion the Labour Council is as bad, if not worse than, the Tories.

Most of our tenants have voted Labour all their lives and they're supposed to represent working people.

What other channels have you tried?

Back in February we complained to the local government Ombudsman. that Coventry Council weren't keeping temporary homes up to standard and were not complying with the 1977 Housing (Homeless Persons) Act.

The Ombudsman has made preliminary investigations and decided to hold a full enquiry-which is still going on-it will take months.

The housing officers are trying to put the Ombudsman off by saying that our association doesn't represent all Temporary fenants.

We've also tried to get publicity through the local press, but the Coventry Evening Telegraph nas consistently attacked us.

They won't mention the fact that some tenants are in mortgage rather than rent arrears-because it upsets Tory ideology:

They won't print our letters or press releasesalthough now Labour are in office they are more keen.

In the second case Mrs Clark asked the Evening Tolooranh nat tn nrint-har print-her TATT. address because of her exhusband.

They printed it-and her husband came round and smashed up her and the house.

They also refused print the fact that the were responsible 10} 1...: 11. - bringing the court case against the council-they made out it was an individual.

The Editor has written at least four editorials attacking us.

What about the movement?

As I said the TT was set up with the help of the Coventry Workshop and the Trades Council. • In the second case two of the Council's witnesses were a member of NALGO and one from UCATT-the Trades Council has taken this up.

Tory Councillor Sawden is a delegate to the Trades Council from ASTMS! The Trades Council asked his branch to reconsider his delegate status!

Also we have a lot of support from Labour Party members..

Many wards have passed resolutions in support of us.

We're affiliated to the National Tenants Organisation and have strong links with the North East Tenants Association.

What is the present situation?

The third case is due to be heard on 19 November in Coventry magistrates court. We are confident of another victory.

The Council's appeal of the second case is in late December. The first one has to go to the High Court because it's on a. point of law-that . could take months.

_Every time someone issues a summons they try to get round it by trying to repair the house or re-house.

When the cases are being heard the Council's solicitor brings out details of personal cases which are irrelevant.

It shows the law is a load of rubbish.

The councillors won't speak about the appeals became they say it's "sub judice"

We've asked for a meeting with them-with legal advisors from both sides present.

Are all the Temporary Tenants part of the Association?

The TT has well over 100 members but we don't know how many others there are.

We've asked for a full, up-to-date list-they've refused.

The officers put a block on it by saying it's a breach of confidence. At least they could sent each temporary tenant • our address and phone number.

We have an elected committee and hold meetings and publish a newsletter every three weeks.

1978 saw less starts on new houses than any time since the fall of the Heath government. Only 130,000 houses were completed -the lowest total for five years.

This slump is expected to get worse, while the shortage of both private and public sector housing has sent prices rocketing, with a 33% increase last year and a 20% increase expect. ed in 1979.

The average price of a houst is now over £20,000, makin! nonsense of Labour's fine talk of easy mortgages and help for first-time buyers:

But Tory policies - laying waste council housing with halfprice sales, and slashing the housing budget - would rapidly drive these priees even higher.

Profits

In either case, while workers struggle to afford a roof over their heads, the privately-owned developers, construction firms, contractors, banks and suppliers Imany of them major sponsors of the Tory Party) continue to rake in huge profits. Building societies continue to funnel billions of pounds of money from small savers into preserving the Our main problems are transport and baby-sitters but even so we get good attendances.

Finally, how do you see your fight in relation to the wider fight against the attacks of the Tory government?

That's very important. I was told the other day that many Talbot workers got into difficulties with rent and mortgage payments during their strike.

As I said earlier many of the temporary tenants are in that position because of unemployment or redundancy.

There are going to be more temporary tenants as unemployment rises.

The Trades Council Housing Sub-Committee is arranging for us to speak at union branches to warn people of what is likely to happen to them.

from WSL existing anarchic system.

The socialist answer demands the struggle to lift the lid on the wheeling and dealing, the profiteering and corruption at every level of the house-building programme by opening the books to show beyond any doubt the necessity for action to force tha nationalisation of the large holdings of land, the development firms, the constiuction industry, the banks and the building societies.

Such nationalisation must be without any compensation to capitalist owners, but with complete protection for smalt savers. The resources liberated must be placed under themanagement of elected trade union committees, with the task of implementing a Crash. house-building programme, providing new jobs for the 300,000 unemployed building workers.

Unused buildings and office blocks must be requisitioned and converted for housing and other socially úseful purposes.

Local authority direct works departments must be expanded to carry out necessary maintenance and renovation of existing council and other housing.

Only under a socialist planned economy can the anarchy of the capitalist market and the plunder of profiteering be eliminated, and housing be provided on the basis of social need.

This is especially important for people thinking of taking voluntary redundancy. It's just not worth it:

Since this interview it has emerged that the Labour group have voted to pay Tory councillor Tim Sawdon £100 towards the £400 he won from the court action but has not received because of the appeal.

This decision so outraged CLP-that the decision has now been rescinded.

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CA

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members of the Labour Party in Coventry-particul: arly Coventry South East