Open House Oct 2001 (PDF 753KB)
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Inside this issue... G How the estates will vote – pull out special, pages 5-8 G What are the options – page 3 G Independent advice for tenants, page 3 Opportunities and choice Issue No.3 October 2001 ESTATE REFERENDUM PROPOSALS UNVEILED Ready Tower Hamlets sets out its initial to help... plans as to how estates will vote in I Members of the housing choice referendum the council’s Consultation nside this edition In most cases the remain with the and of Open House proposals reflect the council for the time Participation are the initial existing designation being, including Team will be Iproposals for the of the council’s hous- those who decide to helping estate referendum, ing estates. work on developing which will take There are some alternative proposals residents to place next February. properties, however, for their estate in get the This is when all which have to be Stages 2 and 3 of the information estates will be asked identified and grou- Housing Choice con- they need in whether they want to ped separately as they sultation. the run up move forward to are not part of a des- The council only to the explore in more detail ignated estate. Have a wants to find out at the alternative choic- look at the proposals this stage which Housing es and options for and tell us what you estates are interested Choice housing in the bor- think. in doing further work referendum ough. The council will be on the alternatives to in February. On pages 5-6 you deciding on the final staying with the coun- The team is will find details of all arrangements for the cil. the council’s housing referendum in Open House will holding estates proposed to December. explain more about drop-in be used as the basis Remember, the ref- the opportunities at sessions for the referendum. erendum in February Stage 2 over the next where you The results for each 2001 is not a formal few months. can find out estate will be recorded ballot and will not In the meantime more. See separately so that decide whether or you can find out more there is a clear indica- not homes are trans- by coming along to page 2 for tion of how each estate ferred. one of the “drop in” details. wants to proceed. All estates will sessions in your area. This paper is distributed free to all council residents of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets 2 London Borough of Tower Hamlets Open House Issue 3 Editorial Tenants apply for Stepney homes Real opportunity ver 100 tenants replied to our invi- THIS issue of Open House has a special pull-out tation to apply for a section, setting out details for voting in the Onew home in referendum in February. But what will this decide? Stepney. Lettings staff It is important to stress that this is NOT a vote about are currently checking who should run the council’s housing in Tower through the applications. Hamlets. It is NOT a transfer ballot. We will report further in Residents will simply be voting at this stage on a future issue on the pri- whether they would like to continue with the Housing ority of the successful Choice consultation and work up alternative applicants and the num- proposals for investment and services for their ber of other people who estate. have also been rehoused Why do it like that? Readers of Open House will be as a result of the vacancies I aware that the council is in a very difficult financial created. NEW housing association homes take shape in Stepney. situation, with less money to spend on the housing services. The council therefore wants to make sure that all estates have the chance to consider all the options and decide which they feel is best for their estate. There is a real opportunity here. So remember – February’s referendum is simply the first stage in the Housing Choice consultation process. It’s the first Aiming to make stage for you to have real choice over housing in Tower Hamlets. Drop-in surgeries the right moves? Monday 15th October – Devons Hall, housands of people homes for an exchange. came to look at the Advice about the council Powis Road, London E3 3NL – variety of rehous- properties advertised, between 4-7pm Ting choices avail- including pictures, was able at the 2-day instantly available from Lettings Event in Mile staff using a new comput- Thursday 18th October – Oakland End Park on 31st August er system. Open House and 1st September. will report back on how School, Old Bethnal Green Road, These included resi- many people managed to London E1 6PR – dents looking for a new find a new home through between 4-7pm home and officers from these adverts in a future other social landlords, as issue. well as a local cat named Leaflets detailing Tuesday 23rd October – Wapping Fidget who casually schemes offering moves strolled in from the park. to the north of England Women’s Centre, Philchurch Place, The newly completed were snapped up on the off Pinchin Street, London E1 1PJ – Art Pavilion offered an first day and it will be informal setting in which interesting to see how between 4-7pm to discuss a wide range of many people wish to take rehousing options with this option further. officers from the council, There was also an Wednesday 24th October – Old Ford Tower Hamlets Comm- opportunity for people to Methodist Church Hall, Armagh Road, unity Housing and Poplar discuss the council’s London E3 – between 4-7pm HARCA and H.O.M.E.S plans for a new lettings (Housing Organisations policy and how it would Mobility and Exchange affect their chances of get- Thursday 25th October – Bancroft TMO Services). ting a new home if it were The growing desire for introduced. As reported Hall, 12 Wickford Street, London E1 people to own their home in the previous issue of 5QN – between 3-7pm meant that the longest Open House the changes queues for information proposed would scrap the were at the stalls for Shared complicated points sys- I CONSIDERING their next move. Ownership, Homebuy and tem and replace it with the Cash Incentive four groups in which pri- what is proposed as being that people would know Tell us what you think Scheme, which all offer ority is decided by need fairer. Many people were what their real chances Do you have any questions, concerns or views about ways of making ownership and how long people concerned that without are of getting a new anything you’ve read in Open House? more affordable. have been waiting. Empty more affordable homes home. We want to hear them.Send your letters to: For those still looking to properties would be being built, their chances Open House rent, between 250 and advertised so that people of being rehoused will not For a full copy of the c/o Consultation and Participation Team 300 Home Swaps were on looking for a new home be improved. But never- draft lettings policy, 20 Three Colt Street, offer by the end of the sec- would be able to see what theless they still agreed contact the Central Limehouse, E14 8HJ. ond day, as tenants took is available. that however many Lettings Team at Jack advantage of the opportu- Generally the com- homes are available, the Dash House. Tel: 020 Or email to: [email protected] nity to advertise their ments received supported new policy would mean 7364 6002/ 6201/ 6917. Housing Choice – it’s your choice Open House Issue 3 London Borough of Tower Hamlets 3 Your questions Looking at the options answered In February, residents will vote on private landlord. It is not Housing Corporation. receiving a good service. the privatisation of coun- This is a government whether to look at a new range of cil homes, in the way that body which is responsible WHO CONTROLSTHEM? Open House answers other public services such for allocating money to Registered Social your questions about the landlords to manage their estates as gas, water and the rail- registered social land- Landlords are run by choices ahead for ways were privatised. lords and monitoring management boards. The housing in Tower WHAT KIND OF any extra money must be Registered social land- their work. people on the boards are Hamlets. LANDLORDS WOULD used either to provide lords have no sharehold- It sets standards that not paid. THESE BE? more homes, or to ers demanding that they every registered social They can include resi- WHY IS THE COUNCIL They would all be not-for- improve homes or ser- make a profit. landlord has to achieve. dents and local council- HAVING PROBLEMS profit organisations, known vices to their tenants. The registered part of And it checks their perfor- lors as well as volunteers WITH ITS BUDGET? as registered social land- So switching to a regis- the name shows that reg- mance regularly to ensure who have professional There are a number of lords. Over one million tered social landlord does istered social landlords that these standards are and management exper- reasons. For some years people in England – and not mean switching to a are registered with the met and that tenants are tise. now, Tower Hamlets has elsewhere in Tower lost out in the govern- Hamlets – currently rent ment’s subsidy system. their homes from a regis- The baseline for the sub- tered social landlord. They sidy was fixed in line with include housing associa- What will the choices be for tenants? rents at a time when rents tions, tenants’ co-opera- in Tower Hamlets were tives and local housing enants who vote in provides housing in especially to manage a A number of estates among the lowest in companies.