ON reading Chris Moore's letter (Giving homes away will mean big rent increases, April 25), I feel impelled to reply.

Chris rubbishes the council workers, but then states they will be employing the self same employees. How will this improve services?

He then says no jobs will be lost by the changeover. How many staff will be transferred over on TUPE?

How many carpenters, bricklayers, plasterers, plumbers, gas fitters, heating technicians, roofers, scaffolders, fencers, electricians, general operatives, gardeners, tree-fellers, paper pickers, clerical staff and managers?

You must realise that Great Parndon accounts for about a quarter of the housing stock in Harlow.

This means that the Great Parndon Area Management Association (GPAMA) could be transferring anything up to 100 council staff.

If, as I suspect, this figure is much higher than the numbers they intend to take on, they must realise the council will have to downsize its remaining staff.

This means people, some of whom are residents of Great Parndon, will indeed lose their jobs as a result of a successful vote.

Mr Moore says if the tenants of Great Parndon do not vote for the GPAMA, the council will simply hand over the properties to a housing association that's stuff and nonsense.

Even if the council did want to hand over the properties there would still have to be a vote among the tenants.

Mr Moore adds that the council has already discussed this "in chambers" and claims it has already had meetings with at least one housing association.

Well Mr Moore, please enlighten us as to which housing association and which councillors were involved in this skulduggery, if it is in fact true.

He ends his letter saying the real question is do the tenants of Great Parndon wish to remain council tenants with the GPAMA or do they want their homes sold or given away to a housing association?

The council has introduced a new method of working that will come into effect in the Great Parndon area in September.

The method was successfully piloted in The Stow area.

Housing maintenance problems will no longer have to be reported to the housing office.

People will contact a central control and be given an appointment in a two-hour slot on a given day.

Trials have already shown a 97 per cent success rate.

The problem facing GPAMA is can it afford to introduce this method or will it be left behind?

The cost is very high.

It involves expensive technology such as computers, handheld computers and mobile phones.

The cost is much less when spread throughout the town.

I recommend that people vote against this change and remain in the hands of the council it is going to get a lot better believe me.

J GAMBLE,

Brocklesmead,

Harlow