Labour could scrap Homes for Islington
Published: 2 April 2010
by PETER GRUNER
ISLINGTON’S housing agency, who have come under fire for large refurbishment bills and “poor quality of work”, may return to council control if Labour win the local election.
Senior party figures are considering closing down Homes for Islington (HFI) amid growing concerns that they are over charging leaseholders – owners of former council properties – and have become “too secretive” and “undemocratic”.
One of the biggest criticisms is that as HFI is governed by company law, which restricts what the board of directors can say in public.
A group of leaseholders and tenants plan to stand for election as independent candidates, led by chairman Dr Brian Potter, who is to contest St Mary’s ward.
Labour councillor Paul Convery, chairman of the west area planning committee, said there is a strong view within the party and a “compelling case” to bring housing back into council management.
He added: “People are being overcharged for refurbishment work. I’ve seen dozens of cases where the costs are absolutely perplexing. Leaseholders in a 50-odd block of flats find themselves being charged £10,000 each for a share in relatively minor works like external painting. These are extraordinary bills.”
HFI is an Almo (arm’s length management organisation) set up in 2002 to carry out much-needed refurbishment of council properties and estates with money provided through the government’s Decent Homes scheme.
Cllr Convery believes that its original purpose has now been fulfilled.
Dr Potter, a long-time opponent of HFI, said this was the first time he could remember any leading Labour Party official being publicly critical of it. He added: “HFI don’t like consulting with anyone. Most of their decisions are taken behind closed doors. Members of the board will always vote in favour of the Almo rather than do what is best.”
But Islington Council leader, Lib Dem councillor Terry Stacy, said many will have bad memories of housing under Labour.
He added: “We had extremely low resident satisfaction, a six-month turn around for empty properties, and rent arrears spiralled up.”
Conservative organiser Richard Bunting said that his party had always been in favour of disbanding the Almo and bringing housing back into council control. “Labour have suddenly woken up and smelt the coffee,” he said.