OUR MESSAGE TO THE UNELECTED, UNREPRESENTATIVE & UNACCOUNTABLE 15 BOARD MEMBERS OF SOMER COMMUNITY HOUSING TRUST IS TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND CAREFULLY RECONSIDER ITS OUTRAGEOUS PROPOSALS TO, WE BELIEVE, WILFULLY MISUSE THE CHARITABLE ASSETS OF SOMER COMMUNITY HOUSING TRUST.

ITS STATED AIM OF TURNING SOMER INTO "A MORE COMMERCIAL ORGANISATION..TO CHARGE MARKET LEVEL RENTS WITH MINIMUM SECURITY OF TENURE...TO SELL EXISTING & NEW BUILD HOUSES & FLATS ON THE OPEN MARKET" ETC., IS NO MORE THAN A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO STAVE OFF ITS PRECARIOUS FINANCIAL POSITION IE: AN UNSUSTAINABLE £178 MILLION PLUS DEBT WHICH MUST BE REPAID WITH INTEREST OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS. THIS ON TOP OF £75 MILLION PLUS IN INTEREST CHARGES ALREADY PAID OUT OF TENANTS RENTS IN THE PAST 12 YEARS.

TENANTS WILL NOT SIT IDLY BY WHILE THE VULTURE CAPITALISTS WHO HAVE HIJACKED THE SOMER HOUSING BOARD OF GOVERNANCE AND WHO CONSPIRE BEHIND OUR BACKS TO TAKE AWAY SOMER HOUSINGS CHARITABLE STATUS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME SENDING TENANTS GLOSSY PROPAGANDA LEAFLETS TELLING US THAT SOMER HOUSING IS NOW GOING TO BE KNOWN AS THE CURO GROUP, "CURO BEING THE LATIN FOR WE CARE", WHEN IN REALITY SOMER HOUSING IS STILL IN LAW A SEPERATE LEGAL ENTITY REGISTERED AS SUCH WITH THE CHARIITY COMMISSION WITH ONE OF ITS STATED AIMS BEING "TO PROVIDE DECENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THOSE MOST IN NEED."

EVEN THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THE LATIN WORD CURO IS A DECEPTION AS CURO ACTUALLY MEANS IN A BUSINESS SENSE "TO PROCURE MONEY."

WE CALL ON ALL SOMER TENANTS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR SOCIAL HOUSING TO STAND UP AND RESIST THIS ATTEMPT TO SELLOFF OUR AFFORDABLE HOMES, RIGHTS AND SECURITY LIKE CATTLE ON THE OPEN MARKET TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

WE SAY NOW IS THE TIME TO TRANSFER OUR SOCIAL HOUSING BACK INTO THE CONTROL & OWNERSHIP OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITY THEREBY SAFEGAURDING EXISTING & FUTURE TENANTS RIGHT TO DECENT, AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE & SECURE HOMES.

REGARDS,

ALEXANDER TenantsAgainstTheCuts Bath