Housing offices sold, but will jobs go next?

Published: 21 January, 2011
by PETER GRUNER

Plans to sell four area housing offices have prompted speculation that redundancies or staff redeployment will follow

LABOUR housing chief Councillor James Murray defended the closures, arguing that it will help save the borough £2.5million.

“The Tory-Lib Dem coalition has withdrawn our funding and forced us to make these cuts,“ said Cllr Murray. “It will just mean we will have to centralise our housing services.”

Offices in Lyon Street, Holloway, Upper Street, Angel, Old Street, Finsbury, and Holland Walk, Archway – the first points of contact for many tenants who need to discuss repairs or other housing issues – are expected to shut in the summer.

The work at the four offices will be centralised at Homes for Islington’s head office, in Highbury Crescent, Highbury Corner.

Cllr Murray said: “People will still be able to take their complaints about housing to HfI. It could be over the phone or by email. Or it could possibly mean taking a bus to Highbury Corner. 

“And the four housing area panels will remain in place so that issues can be discussed.”

Dr Brian Potter, chairman of the Federation of Islington Tenants’ Associations, said there were 24 housing offices about eight years ago. “Lots of people are just not going to be able to get down to Highbury, particularly older people,” he added.

Lib Dem opposition leader Councillor Terry Stacy said: “HfI needs to give me and my colleagues cast-iron guarantees that services will not suffer.”