Islington Leaseholders Meeting
on
Wednesday 11 April 2012
in
Islington Town Hall Chambers
at
7 – 9pm
Hosting the meeting:- Dr Brian Potter
Guest Speakers:- Ms Alison Goodwin (JLT Buildings Insurance Brokers), Mr David Clay (LBI), Ms Kay Morgan (HFI), have confirmed they will be attending.
Please let other leaseholders know of this meeting – it will be their chance to ask general insurance questions about your premiums, level of coverage from the policy etc.
Please view The Islington Tribune Article below which is very interesting which at your convenience.
Dr B. S. Potter
Chairman ILA
______________________________
[1] Islington Tribune Article
Despite end of HFI, there’ll be ‘No magic wand’ for council tenants, warns housing chief James Murray
Published: 30 March 2012
by PETER GRUNER
ISLINGTON housing chief James Murray declared the “end of an era” this week as council property agency Homes for Islington (HfI) was officially dissolved and its functions brought in-house.
The Labour councillor warned that there would be no “magic wand” for residents under new council-run housing but promised a lot more consultation and accountability than was available under HfI.
HfI, which managed the borough’s 21,500 council homes and 8,000 leasehold properties, was set up eight years ago in 2004 as an arms’-length management organisation under chief executive Eamon McGoldrick, who stood down this week.
It has been beset with criticisms of lack of accountability and poor service.
The Town Hall expects to save £1.69million by bringing housing under direct council control.
HfI originally had a staff of 9,000, but several hundred jobs have disappeared over the past few years leaving a workforce of 7,000.
Cllr Murray said: “I won’t pretend that everyone’s concerns over housing will go away overnight. But our priority is to make sure we get the best service for residents.
“We also want to get tenants and leaseholders involved in improving the service.
We are setting up a residents’ improvement taskforce, where they will have the opportunity to talk about changes they want to see.”
A new housing executive will replace the HfI board and will advise the council.
It will include Cllr Murray and tenants and leaseholders as well as housing officials.
A Residents’ Champion is due to be elected in September.
