These tenants deserve to have a say on big decision

Published: 17 June, 2011

• AT Islington Leaseholders Association meeting, two council employees  explained why the tenants and leaseholders of street properties were not invited onto the consultation panels set up to discuss the future of housing management, currently being provided by Homes for Islington (HfI). Street properties are managed by Partners for Improvement but are still overviewed by HfI.

The council employees were asked who had made the decision to exclude the street properties’ tenants and leaseholders from the consultation. They replied that it was their decision. Does this mean our councillors have been made redundant with regard to the management of council-owned properties, as the consultation process has now been passed on to a private company, Open Communities, at a cost of £30,000?  

Is this because a simple ballot would not give the Labour-controlled council the answer it wants to hear?  The council got its panel members from the HfI involvement register and tried to exclude tenant management organisation estates.  This was reversed after pressure from  residents’ groups, but there has still been no change on street properties’ involvement. Did we elect our councillors to hide behind private companies in the consultation process on the biggest decision this council will face in its term of office, namely Islington’s housing management, which could cost them dearly at the ballot box.

PJ LEAMY
Cowdenbeath Path, N1