§ 1 am
§ Mr. Matthew Taylor (Truro)I wish to present a petition signed by more than half the council tenants of Torbay council—2,634 people—who are horrified by the undemocratic decision of the councillors to sell off their homes, despite an overwhelming vote against such a move by the tenants. The tenants point out:
after a vote of all Council tenants monitored by the Electoral Reform Society and where a majority of three to one tenants elected against the sale of their houses to a private landlord, the Torbay Borough Council chose to ignore that majority by inclusion of abstentions and non-voters as signifying acceptance.This petition is signed by more than half the tenants because they want the House to be aware of the wishes of the majority. The petition ends:Wherefore your petitioners pray that your honourable House ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to (1) accept the straight majority vote, as is traditional in this land, and (2) maintain the Council's Housing Stock in the hands of the Torbay Borough Council as is the wish of the majority of tenants.
§ To lie upon the Table.