Room for agreement

Published: 1st April, 2011

• THERE seems to be some confusion as to the situation between Islington Council and Homes for Islington (HfI). Neither HfI nor the council has decided to take any action to remove the tenants’ and residents’ association (TRA) from Charles Rowan House in Clerkenwell nor have they made any decision to move the caretakers’ storeroom from the estate. This is a matter that is under consideration and has not been decided.

The council and the TRA want the best for the estate and also the best use of the property on the estate. 

The meeting rooms are a flat which has been prone to flooding as it is in the basement and the estate is on the side of a hill that goes up to Amwell Street. Naturally, when it rains the water flows down the hill and tended to collect in places like the basement flat. 

The flat was left untenanted as it was too costly to refurbish and solve the flooding problem. 

The council and HfI are looking at the possibility of ending the problem with the flooding and making the flat liveable again, thus providing a home for a family on the estate – something that the council and the TRA would agree would be a good thing.

The council’s executive member for housing, Councillor James Murray, has agreed that neither the TRA meeting rooms nor the caretaker stores will be removed  from the estate.

Here is a situation which the TRA and the council can both benefit from if they sit down and reach a workable solution that would suit both parties. 

I am available to help both sides reach a solution.
Cllr Raphael Andrews
Labour, Clerkenwell ward