Councillor Peter Willows (Letters, May 18) describes "the lack of information to council tenants in Hangleton and The Knoll" as "nothing short of scandalous". This is absurd.
Public meetings to explain the stock options were held in Hove in October and November. The North Hangleton Residents Association discussed the issue in January and in March there was a drop-in session at Hangleton Community Centre.
In addition, local newsletters and the city-wide Homing In have given detailed information. There have also been letters - and there will be more - direct from the council.
Coun Willows was present at the meetings in October and January. He should now accept his accusation is inaccurate and unfair - unfair to council officers, Solon, the independent tenants' advisers, and representatives of the various tenants' and residents' associations who are playing a key part in raising awareness of the issues.
His use of the phrase "sub-standard accommodation" is tendentious and emotive.
It is true that part of our stock is below, i.e. "sub", the Government's Decent Homes Standard. The problem is that in order - as required - to bring all our stock up to the Decent Homes Standard by 2010, we need funds from a source additional to rents. However, while discussing this, please let's use appropriate language. We are not housing people in Victorian slums or dog kennels.
I very much wish there was a level playing field and that the Government would make funds available to local authorities to do the job themselves. This is not, alas, government policy and there is little sign at the moment of a change of heart.
As a member of the Labour Party, I shall continue to campaign on this issue. However, it is important to make a distinction between a legitimate political campaign for a change of policy at national level and the council's duty to give our tenants and leaseholders a factual explanation of the implications of the individual options for the future of our housing stock.
Meanwhile, Defend Council Housing will be wondering how to respond to "wholehearted support" from a Conservative councillor, bearing in mind what successive Conservative governments did to council housing and the social fabric of our country generally during the Thatcher/Major years.
Councillor Kevin Allen, chairman, housing management sub-committee
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