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An extra £15m to improve housing standards
• ROGER Robinson knows he and I both share a deep concern about the importance of housing, in particular council housing, for Camden residents.
That is why this administration is committed to a strong, positive council housing sector – and that’s why we are working hard to overcome the serious problems Labour left us, with over half our housing not up to the minimum “Decent Homes” standard – and that’s why we have just committed an extra £15 million to help tackle Decent Homes faster.
However, I know exaggeration can help make a case, but I think Cllr Robinson is going a bit too far when he claims our housing waiting list has suddenly jumped to 30,000 – 15,000 is the figure we inherited from Labour, that’s what it still is, and that’s quite awful enough for me.
I also take issue when he says (I quote from his letter, Housing responsibilities cannot be shrugged off, November 8) “a paper is before the council to dispose of our present caretaking... and bring in private firms instead”.
There is no such paper, and I think such scaremongering is irresponsible. Lots of Camden’s caretakers are good, valued staff, and we want to keep them – not scare them off by such allegations..
He also says our patch managers “will be decreased in numbers”.
This is, with respect, nonsense. We’re committed to strengthening our ward-based frontline services to give residents better services, and that’s what we propose to do.
But to be honest the backdrop to this is that – as Cllr Robinson knows – his Labour government is cutting our subsidy by a projected £8 million next year, and so they are obliging us to consider savings across housing.
This government’s rules require us to balance the housing revenue account and so any reduction in their support has to be met by savings or by increased rents.
It’s literally against the law to bring in money from elsewhere, such as the council tax.
I should also respond to Robert Henderson’s letter (Homes leaflet and questionnaire badly flawed, November 8).
Naturally I share his concern about the arms-length management organisation and PFI proposals of the previous Labour council, but I can explain that these are not set out in detail in the Decent Homes leaflet precisely because we have listened to residents’ views, and this administration is not going back down this path. We are not proposing Almo or PFI, we are not – repeat not – proposing a “privatisation” or stock transfer strategy, as some are suggesting of us.
But what we are proposing is a genuine way forward to get our housing up to standard. With tens of thousands of tenants waking up every day to poor wiring, bad heating, broken kitchens and bathrooms I would suggest that those who really care about people living in such surroundings, young and old, would want us to take action, as we are proposing.
Many residents have read our Decent Homes leaflet and already responded, both for and against, and I look forward to receiving many more views and comments.
Cllr CHRIS NAYLOR
Lib Dem, Camden Town with
Primrose Hill
Executive Member for Housing
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