A PETITION of more than 2,000 signatures in a house-shaped box was handed in by Waverley tenants at

10 Downing Street last Wednesday, asking the Government to stop 'taxing' Waverley's tenants at 48 pence in the pound.

Under the so-called 'tenants' tax', an ever-increasing percentage of tenants' rents is taken away for redistribution amoung other local authorities around the country.

And Waverley says this results in cuts to housing services and increases in rents.

The council is campaigning for a fairer system to replace the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) subsidies and has been rallying other councils nationwide to support the cause.

Councillor Keith Webster, who was part of the deputation to Downing Street, said: "Waverley will be keeping up the pressure. I hope the Government will keep its promise to announce changes to the HRA subsidy system in the spring of 2009."

The delegation included members of the Waverley Tenants' Panel Pat Wright, Thoy Hung, Brian Ekins, Ralph Anwar, Iris Birth, Jane Rawlins and Reg Randle, councillors Keith Webster (Con), Victor Duckett (Ind) and Ken Reed (Lib Dem) and senior council officers.

They were accompanied by Jeremy Hunt, MP for South West Surrey, and Anne Milton, MP for Guildford.

"We had an excellent day," said Pat Wright, chairman of the tenants' panel. "We demonstrated outside of the Houses of Parliament, lobbied MPs who were passing, and handed out leaflets about the unfairness of this tenant tax.  

"Among others we saw Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor) Alan Milburn (a former Secretary of State under Tony Blair) and Kenneth Clarke, a former Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer."

Mr Hunt said: "I am delighted that the Government is at last reviewing this unfair system that penalises Waverley's tenants. This petition is important as it will ensure that Waverley's tenants are being heard at the highest level."  

The campaign has also been explained to Eric Pickles, the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who invited Waverley's chief executive Mary Orton and Guildford MP Anne Milton, to talk about the campaign for a locally managed and funded system. During the discussion, Mr Pickles re-affirmed that his party would definitely review the whole issue of housing finance.

Tenants' rent, currently taken from the majority of local housing authorities to varying degrees, is redistributed to a small minority of other councils, primarily to cover the interest payments on the historic debt of those other councils.

Furthermore, the system is currently producing a surplus of some £194m, which goes direct to the Treasury.

Waverley believes this is deeply unfair as it penalises the most vulnerable members of the community and undermines local democracy.

Mary Orton said: "This very productive meeting with Eric Pickles shows how seriously this issue is being taken by some in Westminster.

"While Waverley is heading the campaign, we are doing so on behalf of councils from all round the country. This is not a party political issue: our call for a locally funded, locally managed system is supported by councils of all different political complexions, and ultimately it is the most disadvantaged people who are losing out."

Anne Milton added: "I think local people would be pretty shocked to know that 49p of every £1 they spend goes elsewhere. Waverley Borough Council has done a fantastic job highlighting this issue, gathering support from around the country and from other councils and bringing this to the heart of Government."

"The tenant tax is stopping us from meeting the Decent Homes Standard and has prevented us

from carrying out programmes to replace kitchens and bathrooms and to complete external decorations," added Mrs Orton.

"The people affected are mostly living on low incomes, they are often the elderly and people who have disabilities or long-term illnesses. We are asking for a system which is fairer, more transparent and which is accountable.

"This would also be a more efficient system and one which is more democratic as it places decision-making about how tenants' rent money is spent, back in the hands of local councillors.