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Councillors Election Financial Housing IBC ILA Information Islington Islington Council LBI Leaseholders Repairs Service Charges

Smoke and mirrors

It doesn’t surprise me in the least that in this weeks edition of the (Islington Tribune (22/11/24) Cllr Ona O’Halloran immediately admits the fact that both the Housing Ombudsman and The right Honourable Michael Gove recently condemned and Castigated Islington Council, stating they where shocked to find that complaints in Islington were found to be four (4) times higher than anywhere else in the country, In the mouldy and damp ridden homes she preside over …Since she was obviously advised to highlight, and dispose of such a disgraceful record, before demands for her to acknowledge it by Residents, really opened up the “can of worms”…anyone needing a copy can get it free from www.ila.org.uk.

I thought Una’s call for independents to stand down showed her up as authoritarian. Hasn’t it occurred to Cllr O’Halloran that the reason so many independents were standing in Junction ward could be directly attributed to the fact that there is no Democracy in Islington…we are a ONE PARTY BOROUGH, and will remain so as long as tenants are keep in the dark in regard to issues such as : -Their average weekly council rent rise this year of £10…And Leaseholders Cyclic Maintenance bills now increasing exponentially (I saw one for £72,000)…while at the same time our pensioners are choosing to either Freeze or go hungry…

I really do think that it is time Cllr O’Halloran…started to look, listen, and learn…instead of just spouting election rhetoric…

Does she at any point associate her early life problems with those of the poorest residents in this Borough…I think NOT, for should she do so, she would stop banging the drum on the progress of the Labour Party and start to install some democratic processes into Islington…

Recently, she oversaw a Third of this Borough’s tenants openly discriminated against because the council “didn’t like” what they said about Rents and Service charges…and did nothing about it…

Democracy…Where…!!!

drbrianpotter.wordpress.com

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Leaseholders

Scaffolding Vs Cherry Pickers

scaff crop vs

Leaseholders often wonder why vast amounts of scaffolding, erected on council property, never appears to be in use. Why it remains so for months, and some times for years even? 

Understandable, on high rise blocks, perhaps, but on low rise and street properties the costs can’t be justified, surely? Since the use of modern “Cherry Pickers” and Tetra systems, can vastly reduce costs. They also cut the time required to do the job.

The council usually argue that regardless of time on site, cost of scaffolding remains fixed at a set price by their contract…So whether it remains up for a week or six months is totally irrelevant…!!!

Arguably, I would assume that if this is such, the council might be accepting “Front loading” of the contracts to justify such fixed priced arrangements, since builders do not work for free.

Recently I witnessed (photographed) replacement of tiles on a four floor block of flats, using a cherry picker…workmen arrived at approximately 8am the repair completed by 9am, while I watched…no scaffolding used, and only three workmen…job done…!!!

Furthermore, I have pictures of a similar machine being used on higher council blocks adjacent to the Town Hall…So, given scaffolding is extremely expensive, damages buildings, is unsightly, encourages crime, and requires netting, why does the council continue to use it.

The leaseholders theory is generally, that it profits the contractors by allowing them to store their materials for free, thereby removing the necessity for expensive “striking” and costly storage, until required elsewhere, the council however would argue that it greatly facilitates future “on going” works, and actually saves leaseholders money…!!!

Leaseholders pay the bill…You decide…!!!

Dr Potter…

Chairman ILA