Three interesting little facts about the proposed transfer of the Whitehawk and Moulsecoomb council estates to housing associations:

Firstly, Brighton and Hove ratepayers will have to find the extra money to pay for the many tenants in these estates who are on housing benefit, as the DSS will only cough up

95 per cent of the amount due if the landlord is a housing association - the ratepayer has to find the rest.

Secondly, we are talking about millions of pounds being added to the yearly rate bill (yet again), as housing association rents are much higher than council rents.

And thirdly, transfer also means Brighton and Hove City Council will lumber itself with a big VAT liability, which it will pass on to its business tenants - forcing small traders to register for VAT if they want to reclaim it.

Of course, this will mean lots of lovely paperwork for market traders and others in the evenings but with their new high rate bills they won't be able to afford to go out anyway - especially if their homes are owned by a housing association.

-Ian Hills, Blackman Street, Brighton