I READ with interest the comments by Councillor Jack Crawford about the transfer of Selby District Council's housing stock to a not-for-profit local housing association.

It is obvious that Councillor Crawford has a conflict of interest with this issue and as a member of the shadow board of the new housing association he would be playing a major role in the management of the association should the tenants vote in favour of a transfer. If Councillor Crawford is so strongly opposed to the transfer of housing stock I am amazed that he accepted a place on the board in the first place.

Councillor Crawford states that the business of the board and also that of the tenants panel is carried out behind closed doors. Whilst this is true, at present, for the meetings of the shadow board, the tenants panel is in fact open to anyone who is a tenant in the Selby District and wishes to attend the meetings.

I have shown interest in attending these meetings and have been welcomed with open arms.

A good deal of misinformation is being bandied about, at the moment, about what will happen to tenants should the transfer go ahead, but I have heard very little from the council's Labour Group explaining what will happen if the vote goes in favour of the stock remaining with Selby District Council. Perhaps they would care to tell us.

R McKennan,

Barker Drive, Selby.

Updated: 10:40 Wednesday, July 06, 2005