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All is not ‘hunky-dory’ with tenants’ reps
• CAMDEN'S executive has decided to move away a step or two from the ‘fourth option’ which unites most tenant reps in saying that any money available from government for councils to bring up their housing stock to decent standards must be given without strings attached.
On May 23, executive members patted themselves on the back by putting on a brave face and saying “sometimes unpopular decisions have to be made, and though this is not popular, clearly we can not wait forever for government to change its mind”.
What is shocking to me is that we as tenant reps are encouraged to ‘participate’ and get ‘involved’ in the ‘decision-making’ process. Indeed, many of my colleagues are under the illusion that District Management Committees have decision-making powers. We have not!
We are an ‘advisory’ committee to the executive member for housing. It has become apparent to me that all we are in this well-oiled machine is a great big tick box for housing executive members (past and present), to justify to the councils’ executive that he/she has consulted tenants, giving the impression at least that everything is hunky-dory.
The previous administration was punished severely for going down that slippery slope of rubber-stamping reams of blinding reports produced by officers with different aspirations, ignoring tenants’ deputations, ignoring consultation outcomes, becoming more and more distant with tenants’ aspirations.
Consulting your tenants does not just comprise ticking a box, it does involve listening to their fears and aspirations.
Yes there are homes in severe need of repair, so stop employing consultants to justify officer’s aspirations and spend the money on these repairs instead!
There are, however, some encouraging noises coming from recent residents’ meetings held at more local levels. The housing executive does appear to be listening to the sounds generated by residents, which amount to a resounding no to the sale of council properties. And to anyone who says tenants at Artisan Dwellings for instance, have no right to be consulted because the joint DMC has decided, I would say how dare they? We do have the intellect to articulate our concerns and decide for ourselves here at Artisan Dwellings. My only concern would be that we are not used as consultation tick boxes.
MERIC APAK
Artisan Dwellings TLA, Chair
Royal College Street, NW1
• AS a council tenant, I think that it is very telling that the only people with a good word about the Town Hall’s plans to privatise hundreds of council homes are Lib Dem councillors. Tenants’ leaders, who you would expect to be delighted by the plans for the sell-off if it makes such good sense, have labelled the proposals ‘a disgrace’.
You have to wonder if there is a hidden agenda at work given that the government slowly seems to be changing position on the council housing issue.
Perhaps the Lib Dems and Tories are simply sick and tired of having ordinary working-class people in Camden and would prefer they were replaced by wealthy people who don’t need any help from the Town Hall?
It’s not as if ‘social cleansing’ through control of housing has not been tried before in a central London borough.
Let’s hope the Lib Dems of Camden have not been taking lessons from the Tories of Westminster.
Kate Purcell
Broadfield Lane, NW1
q I find it shameful that a Labour government is refusing to hand over the money it promised to Camden Council for vital repairs to our social housing stock (Minister rejects calls for housing investment, May 31).
Since the local elections last year, the council seems to have been lobbying hard for this money. It is essential that action is taken to improve the lives of those who have waited for repairs for so long.
Camden Labour tried a one-size-fits-all solution in the form of an Almo (Arms-Length Management Organisation). Local people rejected it. Now I’m glad the Lib Dems are talking to residents about the way in which they think repairs should be made and the money found to make them.
Labour’s £283 million housing crisis is a betrayal.
It seems ludicrous for Labour councillors to attack the Lib Dems for taking positive action while Labour ministers coldly refuse to give Camden residents the money we need.
BEN GREENING
Chalk Farm Road, NW1
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