Lessons to be learned

Published: 15 April, 2010

• I WAS very concerned to read your report of the sad case of Jennyfer Spencer, and I would thank the Camden New Journal for raising it, through articles like this you challenge the council to try its hardest to do its best.
Your editorial (April 8) questions why elected representatives didn’t respond to the New Journal, and I must say that for my part – my responsibility has been for the allocations system, not for adult social care provision – having had several important letters rejected by you I decided there was little point in writing in.
As well, due to pre-election “purdah” rules, I am not now allowed to represent the council but can only speak as an individual.
I wrote a month ago to point out that the figure you quoted “20 per cent of residents reject Decent Homes works” was quite wrong, that most of this number were cases where the council wasn’t going ahead pending queries about illegal tenancies and other irregularities. But you didn’t publish this.
I wrote a week later to complain the £400million you reported Labour figures saying they’ve put into Camden’s housing was spurious – the fact is there has been no such investment, in fact no direct investment of any kind, since government withdrew its £283million offer in 2004.
But you didn’t publish this.
In the very sad case of Ms Spencer my heart goes out to any family, friends, neighbours distressed by this and, indeed, I’m sure council staff concerned are upset too.
I am grateful to you for publishing Jim Wintour’s full statement on behalf of the council, and I personally have complete faith in Mr Wintour – as the council’s new director of housing and adult social care – to investigate this fully, and to learn any lessons that should be learned.
I have been assured that the council did make the five offers of other accommodation which Mr Wintour mentions, but Ms Spencer’s rejection of these offers was never raised with me and, to be honest, I would not expect it to have been.
In a borough with nearly 100,000 people in council property, with many thousands of people seeking accommodation each week, the allocations system is something we leave to officers, as all councils do.
I don’t think people want politicians to interfere in individual housing allocations. But there is a legitimate question here about when alarm bells should ring and how adult social care and allocations staff work together where there are real problems.
I will, of course, review this sad case with Mr Wintour shortly, and would expect whoever – whether me or someone else – takes on the housing brief after the election to implement any findings.
In one of my last discussions with officers in March I did propose the new council review its allocations system in 2010/2011 and I would urge whoever has the portfolio then to keep Ms Spencer’s case firmly in mind, to ensure the council is  always trying its hardest to do its best.
CLLR CHRIS NAYLOR
Liberal Democrat, Camden Town with Primrose Hill ward