Roland
Why should the DHE or Annington foot the bill? This blunder was not a PFI!! It wasn't a cock up - it was planned this way!!
The DHE is merely an MOD agency set up to administer the lease and maintenance of the housing stock from Annington Homes. DHE therefore = the MOD!!
Annington Homes
OWNS THE ENTIRE STOCK of former MQ's.
From day one it was written that each year a percentage of the estate would be sold off until eventually there would be none left.
The original target date for nil stock was 99 years, but the contract allowed Annington to sell more or less homes as they dictated. Currently they are selling more due to the higher house prices.
There was a big outcry at the time and all the problems now being encountered were dismissed by the MOD in their usual arrogant fashion.
In my opinion, Annington Homes and the Japanese banks are entirely blameless in this. They were the winning bidders in the last desperate throes of a dieing conservative government. Portlillo was the man responsible and the Tories needed hard cash to try and buy the election. In the event they got £2 billion for the sale and still lost the election. This all history now, but the long-term problems remain.
The MOD has to sort out this problem and find cuts from somewhere to take account of the increase in ERA over the coming years. Either that or build some new housing estates using its current budgets. I see from this morning’s teletext that super carriers are starting to have "Economy cuts" made to them! More defence cuts I say!!
I can tell you what the attitude in Civvie Street is to this:
Why do the Services need to have their own supply of homes any way?
No doubt over the coming years we shall hear more of this in the press, as ERA eats up more and more of the annual defence budget.
Bottom line - If you sell the family silver you can't have a silver service meal!!
