The period for the annual inspection of accounts is now closed, but objections can be lodged until the end of September.
Inspection post link http://bit.ly/oXAHPt
Disband HFI Petition passes 700 Let’s keep it increasing – thanks for all your support Disband HFI – Bring Back Directly Managed Council Housing in Islington. www.DisbandHFI.org.uk
LEASEHOLDERS MEETING
Date: Wednesday 10th August 2011
Venue: Town Hall Chambers
Time :7 – 9 pm
Guest speakers: All of the prospective candidates standing for election to the St Peters Ward by-election.
Please view our website www.ila.org.uk , if you wish to become a member or renew your existing membership you can download a membership form from this website.
Follow us on twitter @ilaorguk
Please inform any leaseholders on your Estate, or in Street Properties about these meetings, and suggest they attend.
URGENT PLEASE… if you have not already signed up…please do so by clicking on to…www.DisbandHFI.org.uk
Dr B.S. Potter Chairman ILA
Unable to obtain last week’s Islington Tribune? Please, see articles and letters here.
12 July 2011 | By Rhiannon Bury @ Inside Housing
Arm’s-length management organisations could become fully independent under government plans to give more choice to tenants.
It said that ministers will explore ‘whether semi-autonomous public sector bodies should now be made fully autonomous, for example, by moving arm’s-length management organisations in social housing into the housing association sector.’ more
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LEASEHOLDERS
- Last week, (See above) the Government published a White Paper that outlines proposals potentially giving ALMO’s (HFI) the legal power to convert into Housing Associations.
- Should an ALMO (HFI) transform into a privatisation model, possibly a COCO, (Community Owned – Council Owned), or Housing Association, all leaseholders bills could immediately become liable to 20% VAT.
- If we act now, we may be able to prevent this backdoor privatisation of Islington’s housing stock.
- Our petition is now running out of time…SO…please print out copies of the attached form and sign it.
WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WHO WILL SUPPORT THIS PETITION
IF ASKED
SO…PLEASE ASK YOUR NEIGHBOURS TO SIGN.
Click on
“Because there are so many signatories, only the most recent 500 are shown on this page.“
The Disband HFI petition became the most successful e-petition conducted by Islington Council to date – back at 212 signatures!
EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMEONE WHO, IF ASKED, WILL SIGN AND GLADLY SUPPORT THE PETITION
Let’s keep it lifting – thanks for all your support
Disband HFI – Bring Back Directly Managed Council Housing in Islington.
29 July 2011 | By Alex Wellman of ‘ Inside Housing’
Social landlords are set to be grilled by politicians over service charges issued to tenants.
Steve O’Connell, London Assembly member, is launching an investigation on behalf of the planning and housing committee at City Hall to discover if the charges are fair and find out how they are determined.
‘The issue is whether the charges are reasonable and whether they are being administered fairly and openly. I suspect there is significant variation in how landlords determine and manage the charges, which is something my review will seek to understand.’ more
Tribune letter from ILA Director 7.11
HOW can HfI board member Jessie White say “Residents do have direct access to board members at each board meeting. Residents are able to come and ask questions or raise concerns and the board will investigate”? I have attended these meetings as a leaseholder with questions to ask and have found them intimidating. Quite often questions are not answered at the board meetings. Instead, the poor old tenant/leaseholder is sent home with the promise of a written reply. Not democracy as I know it. more
Tribune letter edit
Many resident have recently received a questionnaire from the council regarding the future of Islington’s council housing , and you should also be aware of governments intention to move “arm’s-length management organisations (ALMO’s) in social housing into the housing association sector”
Despite strenuously denying the possibility of allowing Homes for Islington (ALMO) to metamorphose into a Housing Associations, Islington council, via their latest extremely ambiguous, and divisive questionnaire, leaves the way open for HFI’s continued presence in Islington
Dr. B. S. Potter, Chairman FITA / ILA suggests draw a line across each page and write in the “comments section” Close HFI…TUPE all staff back to the council…and return Islington’s housing stock back under the direct management of Islington council, and our ELECTED councilors…This statement clearly indicates to the council that we consider council homes safer under the council then in a private company. If you agree…go to www.disbandHFI.org.uk and have your say without it being re-interpreted…!!! More
- Audit Commission Act 1998, sections 15 – 16
- Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003 Regulations 13, 14 and 16
Each year the Council’s accounts are audited and any person interested has the opportunity to inspect and make copies of the accounts and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts relating to them. (A charge may be made for excessive copies.)
The accounts for the year ending 31 March 2011 and documents will be available at the Council Offices, 7 Newington Barrow Way, London N7 7EP between 9.30am and 4.30pm on Mondays to Fridays from on Monday 27 June 2011 until on Friday 22 July 2011.
If you wish to inspect any documents please apply first to Mohammed Sajid, Chief Accountant, at the above address or call 0207 527 2574/2432/3531 or email Mohammed.Sajid@islington.gov.uk so that arrangements can be made.
From 10.00am on 25 July 2011 until the conclusion of the audit process, a local government elector for the area of the Council, or his/her representative,may:
- ask the auditor questions about the accounts. Please contact the District Auditor, Mr Philip Johnstone, at the Audit Commission, 1st Floor Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4HQ to make arrangements to ask any questions.
- object to the Council’s accounts asking that the auditor issue a report in the public interest (under section 8 of the Audit Commission Act 1998) and/or apply to the court for a declaration that an item in the accounts is contrary to law (under section 17 of the Audit Commission Act 1998). Written notice of a proposed objection and the grounds on which it is made must be sent to the auditor at the address given above and copied to me at the following address:
Finance Department,
Floor 2, Council Offices,
7 Newington Barrow Way,
London N7 7EP
Mike Curtis
Director Helen Cagnoni asks for credit where credit is due , and details how a number of ‘improvements in services’ claimed by HFI, came about about due to previous work done by FITA & Kier, and notes how so-called Tenant Directors elected as ‘volunteers’ , voted themselves Annualised Allowances. more
Chair Dr Brian Potter reminds pro HFi letter writers of the lack of accountability of HFI and notes that HFI directors are rushing to defend HFI when resident lead initiatives, such as, for example, the www.disbandHFI.org.uk petition, threatens their lucrative future?. more