HC Deb 28 February 1956 vol 549 cc990-1
9 Mr. Mitchison

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) whether he is aware that there is considerable uncertainty among councillors, who are tenants of council houses, about the scope and effect of Section 76 of the Local Government Act, 1933; and whether he will move to amend the law, so that they may know, without difficulty, on what matters of general council policy and administration they can speak and vote;

(2) whether he will take steps to amend the law, so that councillors who are tenants of council houses may vote on proposals for a scheme of differential rents or of rent rebates or on changes in the level of rents relating to council houses as a whole or to any substantial group of council houses;

(3) whether he will make a statement as to his policy with regard to the removal under Section 76 (8) of the Local Government Act, 1933, of any disability imposed by that section on councillors who are tenants of Council houses and who desire to take part in the consideration or discussion of and to vote on a scheme of differential rents or of rent rebates, or any question relating to such a scheme, or to the general level of council rents; and whether he will include in such a statement an explanation of the usual procedure under that subsection and of the time required for his decisions under it.

Mr. Sandys

In exercising their discretionary powers under Section 76 of the Local Government Act, 1933, the policy normally followed by successive Ministers has been to allow councillors, who are tenants of council houses, to vote on questions affecting rents only where half or more of the members would otherwise be disqualified.

However, many councils are likely, in the near future, to be reviewing their rent structure, and in some cases, the inability of even a small number of members to vote might result in the adoption of a policy to which the majority of the council were opposed. This would obviously be most undesirable.

I have, therefore, decided to inform local authorities that, where, in their opinion, this is necessary in order to avoid such a situation, I shall be prepared to consider sympathetically an application for the removal of the disability to vote, provided that the application is supported by a resolution of the council concerned.