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| NEWS | By RICHARD OSLEY |
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THE TOWN Hall’s housing department stands accused of setting up a ‘mini-Almo’ (Arms-length management organisation) after creating a private company to manage the way Camden’s council flats are dished out. Housing supremo Councillor Raj Chada has come under fire for allowing Home Connections, a private company limited by guarantee, to be formed. Alarmed tenants fear that the housing department is being broken up and sold off in small chunks. They have described the new company as a ‘mini-Almo’ – a dreaded term amongst council tenants who last year successfully fought the Town Hall’s plan to transfer control of the borough’s entire housing stock to an Arms-Length Management Organisation. The scheme was aborted after residents voted against the scheme. Home Connections will sell Camden’s Choice Based Lettings system – the service which gives tenants the chance to bid for homes through the internet and text messages – to other authorities and housing associations. Choice Based Lettings has been heralded by the council as the fairest and easiest way to allocate homes in the midst of Camden’s biggest ever housing crisis. Adverts appear in the press and applicants can see how many points they need to stand a decent chance of getting the keys to the flat. Camden claims the future of the scheme can only be guaranteed with the creation of Home Connections, which housing officials say will allow the service to be sold and expanded. Cllr Chada said: “I know there is great concern about using the word ‘company’ and images that it evokes. But what we are doing is not giving up a council service or any influence. It’s important that Camden can sit on the board and control its future, selling the service to other boroughs. It’s not a commercial enterprise.” He said that all the profits collected by Camden would go back into the Choice Based Lettings scheme. But residents remain unconvinced and have been left angry that tenants’ leaders were cut out of the plan. Paul Tomlinson, vice-chairman of the Camden Town District Management Organisation, told a meeting of senior Labour councillors: “It’s the right of tenants to have their say on this matter. It is not at all clear that the public wants a profit orientated company to be chosen for this project. This proposal needs the approval of the secretary of state. Consultation needs to take place. On behalf of tenants, I’m asking for this to be deferred.” Cllr Chada said: “This is not about allocations policy or service delivery. We offer a good service other boroughs want to use it.” |
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