In wake of wall death tragedy, we need reform

Published: 17 February, 2011

• SHORTLY after Saurav Ghai’s death, at a private meeting I was browbeaten by chief officers for daring to call for the sacking of housing officers.  

Rumours of this were picked up by John Gulliver in the New Journal. My claim then that the housing department was a basket-case and the worse performing council department was met by a flat denial. I now stand vindicated.

Following the successful prosecution of Camden Council, (Town Hall’s £72k fine after fatal wall collapse, February 10) Councillor Julian Fulbrook, now the executive head of housing, needs to state publicly how he is going to reform Camden’s housing department.

Its management and culture remains largely unchanged from what was put in place by its former head. 

To put it bluntly, the unreformed, Camden’s housing department continues to present a threat to life and limb.

KEITH SEDGWICK
Ex-Camden councillor