Housing in Hammersnmtth

At a meeting on the 13th December, the Labour controlled Hermeremith Council resolved to express its deep concern & the sale of nous ing properties belonging to the Greater London Councii. The resolution stressed that in the opinion of the Council the sale of Council housing meant losing vital social assets, Imgine the suprise of local party members who read in the West London Observer of 28th December that Hammersmith Council may decide to sell an estate in the Borough, The property in question is a block of luxury homes at Mylne Close, in the exclusive Upper Mall area of Hammersmith's riverside, As stated previously in Ehe Week (Sept .11.1967) the estate was erected by the old Metropolitan Borough Council, who apparently felt it would be better not to mix working class families with the other residents in the area. The rents, including rates, range from £9.14.6. to £12.7.8. a week, which automatically excludes applicants from Hammersmith's housing waiting list. If Mylne Close was incluied in the Borough's general hotsing péol, it would mean lower rents could be charged and the ; rebate scheme would apply. But it appears that rather than face this prospect the ruling clique in the Council would prefer the property sold, The Chairman of the Housing Committee, Cllr. G, Simpson, caid to the West London Observer that the possibility of the estate eventually being sold to tenants, "could not be ruled out", The feeling in the local Labour Parties is that this is another indication of the lengths to which those in control of the Souncil will go to outbid the Conservatives, The situation has reached the ludicrous stage when the M.P. for Barons Court, Ivor Rickerd, on the right-wing of the Parlianentary Labour Party, has written t the Leader of the Council asking that pending rent increases throughout the Borough (in some cases of more than 16s, a week) be deferred. Mr. Richard's efforts did not meet with any success, Cllr, Simpson described the Borough's rent scheme as, "just ari sound", He said there was no reason for not proceeding with the increases, Labour's fortunes have been on the wane in Hammersmith. In January 1967 they lost a Council by-election to a Liberal and in Merch eld the White City Ward, consisting mainly of Greater London Council G0. Sines, by & very much reduced majority. This was a preview of the Civete: “ondon Council elections in April when the three sitting Labour Covneii lors with majorities of about 15,000 votes were swept from cffice, At the time a leading London Labour Party official blamed defeat on the achivities of left-wingers in the Hammersmith Party. Local socialists have argued tha the housing policies of the Council will inevitably leai to rejection by the electorate, Perhaps those in control don't care! If consvol of the Council is lost , they can again blame the left-wing!