Nottinghams largest locally-based housing association, Nottingham Community (NCHA) has received a rating which puts them in a very exclusive group of top performing associations nationally.
Of the 1,300 housing associations in England, only 10 have ever been awarded 2 stars and excellent and six of those are stock transfer associations working with only one or two local authorities. NCHA works with 26 different councils throughout the East Midlands. Read more here
Nottingham City Homes failed to get the two star rating from the audit commission that the government made compulsory to provide the newly formed arms length management organisation (ALMO) with the approximate £430 million pounds necessary to bring its housing stock up to the required EU 'decent homes standard'.Tenants were balloted regarding whether or not their council stock should be transferred on the basis that if it did not, there would be no money available for the new kitchens and bathrooms that they were promised if their homes did not remain the sole responsibility of Nottingham City Council.
If NCHA has been given the two stars Nottingham City Homes didn't get so that it can be used for stock transferral then obviously this is privatisation through the back door. Not only could tenants lose out on the money they were promised in return for their vote for the ALMO, it could also mean that when the housing association has acquired the council's ALMO housing stock, they could increase the rent to extortionate levels, allow the homes to fall into disrepair, sell the stock off and kick the tenants out etc. as they are not accountable to anybody except their board of directors.
The only hope of it all going horribly wrong is that if home building continues throughout the economic down turn, there will be too many properties and not enough buyers or tenants, therefore house prices will eventually hit rock bottom and only then can we pare down the greedy people behind the banks and quangos and position our economy so that more people will eventually be able to afford to buy their own homes.
1 comments:
As the Vice-chairman of NCH's 'Homes 4 Us' disabled residents forum, I have seen many figures that the NCA & the City Council are using to perseude us that they should get their two-start rating this October. However, I will go on record as beleaving they will not.
For example, the appearent corruption with the actual 'Board' of NCH itself, whcih comprises of 12 people, including a number of Labour Councillors...so how is this 'Arm's Length'?...Recently, two board members have stood down for whatever reason, and NCH held an 'open day' to recruit potential new board members....only three people, including myself, attended. Of the other two, one was a retired 'Old School Tory', who was proud to wear his regimental tie and I did not get to meet the other attendee.
However, now, it seems that of the four people 'shortlisted' one is already a board member, one is the Chair of the Victoria Centre Flats TRA, and the other two I have not met before. I was informed that I was not shortlisted as I had not returned the actuall application form, which is incorrect...as all the paperwork I recieved was returned, which means that they either did not give me the form OR the form had been removed by someone aware of my political affiliation. In addition to this, I was informed that ALL potential candidates recieved a home visit...something which I had not, which makes me beleave that it is the latter.
All I can say is that if NCH do not recieve two-star accreditation this year, then I will be launching a campaign to disoplve the ALMO and have it returned to direct council control, as by 2012, the BNP should have representation on the council as we have learned all the trick they will use to try to stop us in the past two local elections. At least that way, if still part of the EU, the council housing department will have a legal duty to bring all the properties up to standard and the BNP will make sure that they not only do this, but they will make the housing of British Homeless (of all colours) their priority. We currently have over 400,000 homeless British Citizens, yet Eastern Europeans that have left their own homes voluntarily are being given priority.
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