GOODWILL,COMRADESHIP...AND RUDENESS!

 

    Good riddance to Taroe and its hypocrisy

Gavin Williamson is a great survivor …heading off unprecedented attacks as education secretary  following the school  examinations` fiasco.

 No such luck for Michael Gelling, the man who aimed to lead the country`s tenants. As this blog reported a week ago, Mr Gelling  has thrown in the towel.

 His Runcorn-based tenants`charity Taroe - the Tenants` and Residents` Association of England - is to close. Its roots go back  nearly half a century and at its peak it claimed to have three million tenants` and residents`members.

After such success, this blog now asks: Will Taroe and its chairman Mr Gelling be missed.?

The answer  might be contained in a curious but damning story involving one of the Taroe members, Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation (then known as Carlisle and Rural Tenants` Federation) which publishes this blog.

The story started when the federation was asked by Taroe to arrange a regional conference in Carlisle. 

Officers of the federation were very happy to make the  arrangements i.e. arrange for the venue, arrange for the attendance and the participation of the Mayor of Carlisle, arrange for the accommodation of Taroe representatives and arrange for Carlisle delegates to attend.

In addition, as a special goodwill gesture, the officers produced a special newsletter for the conference containing conference details and a prominently-displayed “welcome-to-Taroe” article.

 Officers  were happy to do all this in a spirit of goodwill and comradeship and expected nothing in return.

What in fact they did receive was coldness and suspicion from the Taroe officers plus rudeness from Chairman  Gelling.

 The  rudeness was an accusation from Mr Gelling that our special  newsletter was political. The newsletter was also shameful in its criticism  of the giant Riverside Housing Association of Liverpool.

So Mr Gelling told the delegates that he was banning distribution of the newsletter  to delegates.(The newsletter, emphatically was not political and is reproduced below.)

 Mr Gelling then went on to make a conference speech mainly devoted to the empowerment of tenant members. His speech went on  praise the big housing associations including Riverside for their financial help to Taroe.

 The federation delegates were staggered by all this from Mr Gelling… urging the  empowerment of tenants  and at the same time banning a tenants` publication which  clearly represented empowerment.

 Such hypocrisy …

It wasn`t difficult for the Federation delegates to  see the real reason for Mr Gelling banning the newsletter. The real reason was that the newsletter listed the many failings of Riverside contained in an Audit Commission report. (That report  is also reproduced below).

 Finally, it emerged the Mr Gelling was  in fact a  Riverside tenant.   Federation delegates wondered how significant that was in view of the fact that Riverside funds helped to keep Taroe afloat.

 On which  side of the fence was Taroe?. Was it on the side of the tenants of England or on the side of the big housing associations and others which funded its operations?

Needless to say, all this led to an angry response from the federation. And as no better explanation for the day`s events was forthoming from  Mr Gelling or his executive, all further contact with Taroe was suspended.

There seems to be no doubt that other tenants` and residents`  organisations had similar dealings with foot-in-all- the camps-Taroe.

 So it is no surprise that the death of that organisation has been reached. The surprise is that it has taken so long.

Nor is it  a surprise that the Federation now says : Taroe: good riddance!

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THIS IS THE FEDERATION CONFERENCE NEWSLETTER

 
 CARLISLE COMMUNITY VOICE                                                                                     FEBRUARY 2010

 

WELCOME TO    T.A.R.O.E.    CARLISLE CONFERENCE   Tenants` and residents` groups in the Carlisle Area welcome delegates of the Tenants and Residents` Organisations of England (TAROE)  to their Carlisle conference which is being held  in Morton Manor Community Centre on January 28. The conference is being opened by the Mayor of Carlisle, Councillor William Graham. Helen Lane of the government` s housing regulator, the Tenant Services` Authority, will give the keynote address. Delegates from all over the north of England have been invited. Arrangements for the conference have been made by Carlisle and Rural Tenants` Federation which is affiliated to TAROE and is the parent organisation of community groups in the Carlisle area.(The annual report of Carlisle and Rural Tenants` Federation is on the back of this newsletter)

 

CARLISLE COMMUNITY VOICE

                

   FEBRUARY 2010                  ISSUE NUMBER 2

 

Good wishes from

Eric Martlew M.P.

 

The first issue of Carlisle Community Voice,

published in November, was welcomed by

many people. Eric Martlew M.P. e-mailed his

 best wishes saying:”I am looking forward to

 future issues of Carlisle Community Voice”.

Here is another issue, Eric. Hope you like it!

	PETTERIL BANK GROUP” WOULD BE LOST” WITHOUT CHURCH SUPPORT   Elders of the Family Church, Petteril Bank, were party hosts  at the annual pensioners` pie and pea Christmas party in the church, organised  and funded by Carlisle South Community Association which is based at Petteril Bank. The pie and pea party has been held in the church for several years and is a joint effort between the church elders and the association. Jean Hall, Vice Chairman of the association, thanked everyone who helped, particularly the elders,  David Gwynne  and David Johnson .The elders allow the association to use the church  for meetings and other functions all through the year and make no charge. Jean said: “Carlisle South would be completely lost without the great help and support of the church. We want  the elders to know how much  this is appreciated” Carlisle South also funded a Christmas party for members and  friends from other Carlisle groups- all members of Carlisle and Rural Tenants` Federation. and other helpers for their efforts hospitality.

Report by Chairman Tom Johnson MBE at the  annual

 meeting of Carlisle and Rural Tenants`Federation

 

City communities get strong support and failing Riverside gets a challenge

THE SAD DEATH of our chairman Ralph Aldersey has dominated our year.

Ralph brought to the Federation the same qualities of leadership and  social responsibility that distinguished his earlier public life, as  a county and district councillor.

His great efforts held the Federation together and guided us forward during the very difficult period after the Federation was unceremoniously dumped and had its funding withdrawn  by Carlisle Housing Association

Ralph went on to fight hard for the Federation and took the battle to the floor of the city council chamber  where he roundly condemned Carlisle Housing Association`s  slanderous   untruth that the Federation had ceased to exist.

Ralph is very badly missed by us all.

I was invited by the Federation to become Acting Chairman and  was honoured to do so . I wish to thank members for their loyalty, help and support.

AN IMPORTANT EVENT this year was the Audit Commission`s first inspection of Riverside Carlisle (the new name for Carlisle Housing Association). The Federation was invited to give evidence to the commission. This evidence was critical, but fair.

The highly-critical report on that inspection highlighted the many failings in Riverside`s  management of its 6000 former Carlisle council houses.

These failings had been well known to the Federation for several years.  The many attempts by the Federation to get Riverside to remedy these failings, sadly, proved abortive. Now, the Federation must try harder.

The Federation has had a very active and successful year. Well-attended monthly meetings have been held regularly and the Sub Group has also met monthly. We said a reluctant goodbye to Edith  Harper, a very long-serving and loyal Federation member, who has chosen to “retire”. All good wishes, Edith.

MEETINGS HAVE BEEN HELD with city councillors of all three political parties and with Mr. Eric Martlew, the city M.P.All these meetings are ongoing. A meeting in London was held with Margaret Beckett M.P., then Minister of Housing.

The Federation continued to support the city tenants` and residents` groups, particularly Shaddongate Residents` Association, Botcherby Residents `Group and Carlisle South Community Association. Representatives of the Carlisle Save Our Streets campaign have been welcome guests at our meetings.

 The sheltered housing, Westhill House, Brampton, has been of special concern because one of our members served on the social committee there for several years.

The Federation has been at the forefront of those who supported the Westhill residents  at the closure of the home by Riverside. It has also been  at the  forefront of those who were critical of Riverside`s inadequate plans for the home. The Federation`s constructive criticism helped to prod Riverside to come forward with improved plans for the home.

 In addition, the Federation has been very critical of the problems of dual loyalty caused to those members of the city council serving on the governing board of Riverside

A SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLE of this came during the council debate on the Riverside plans for Westhill.  One council member chose to give his loyalty to Riverside rather than to his electors. His controversial decision is being challenged by the Federation and talks are planned with the councillor.

The Federation is also challenging the gagging measures imposed by Riverside on those members of the city council serving on its governing board. It is also challenging the use by Riverside of  its persistent complaints procedure and is also  challenging Riverside about  Freedom of Information provisions Despite these challenges, and despite  our continued and long-standing criticism of Riverside, the Federation has continued to attempt to resume a dialogue with Riverside. Sadly, at the moment, Riverside says it has no wish to meet the Federation. 

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Press statement issued by Carlisle and Rural Tenants` Federation

 

RIVERSIDE`S CARLISLE HOUSING FAILINGS

TARGETTED BY WHITEHALL WATCHDOG

Serious weaknesses in the operations of Carlisle`s biggest landlord, the Riverside Carlisle Housing Association, are revealed in a report this month (October2009)) by the Government watchdog, the Audit Commission.

The report pinpoints the weaknesses and makes several equally serious criticisms. The report  follows the commission`s recent inspection of Riverside, now the owner of 6000 former council houses  which it  acquired seven years ago.

Highlighted in the report  is criticism of Riverside`s seven sheltered housing schemes and follows similar criticism  by three Carlisle  councillors at a meeting  of the city Development Control Committee in August.

 At the  same meeting of the committee, a former Carlisle mayor, the late Mr. Ralph Aldersey, also attacked Riverside`s sheltered housing policy when he appeared  for Carlisle and Rural Tenants` Federation of which he was chairma

 The Federation has campaigned for more than three years against Riverside`s poor sheltered housing. It has also campaigned for   more than three years against some of Riverside`s other operations

The Audit Commission report says:”The sheltered housing stock does not meet modern requirements or comply with disability discrimination legislation”. Riverside has been slow to address the issue, leaving older tenants in accommodation that does not meet modern day requirements “.

The fact that Riverside  has  not yet decided what to do about its “poor quality sheltered housing schemes” is a ”barrier to improvement,” says the report which adds a recommendation that Riverside must” identify the current and future  housing needs of older people in the city.”

 Other main criticisms in the Audit Commission report are as follows:

Too many empty properties: An above average number of properties are empty and they are empty for a long time before being re-let.

No help for disabled: Riverside is not working with the city council to help disabled customers obtain major adaptations or agree how they should be dealt with. Current policy is out of date and does not reflect current practice. Riverside is not helping some of its most vulnerable tenants at a time when they need it most.

   Poor value for money: The strategic approach to improving values for money is poor. Values for money checks are not strategic or structured and it is difficult to see where efficiencies have been made.

 Too many evictions: Too high a number of  tenants are evicted, mainly for rents arrears.  Riverside evicts more tenants for rent arrears than most other social landlords. Riverside now recognises that its policy is is too heavily weighted towards enforcement. In the last two years, evictions increased from 35 to 42, mostly single men who had been tenants for more than a year. In addition to the personal distress and hardship, each eviction costs £9000.

 No involvement of customers: Monitoring of Riverside`s work and reporting back to tenants is  of a ”mixed” standard. Customers are not closely involved in the management of the income management service. A focus group of six customer representatives has not met since last year and has been mostly involved in designing leaflets rather than in the way the service is delivered. Riverside does not know its relative performance or engage fully with customers and others to understand how  its service can be improved.

 Phone calls lost: A significant number of phone calls are lost or abandoned before being answered.  Tenants are not always able to make an enquiry or report a repair.

 No computer link-up: There is no effective use of staff resources on providing information about  the  condition of the stock of houses. The computer system used to store this information does not  work  with other systems for updating the number of empty houses or replacement work .

 Tenants pay too much: Fuel poverty and thermal inefficiency of homes does not get proper  attention. Some  tenants have to pay too high a proportion of their  income to heat their homes.

Tenants kept in the dark: Too little information is given to tenants  on decorating grants and disturbance allowances.  Tenants have to spend their own money to bring their homes back up to standard after improvement work . Tenants  are not made aware of what support is available to them.

 Below average re-letting: Re-letting of properties continues to be below average.

Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog.

 Information about the Federation is available on 01228 522277

 

 

 

 

 

 

This blog is now more widely read than ever

 

  .

 

 

 

Riverside

lowdown

.

in  the 

lock down

This blog is back again after overcoming  difficulties caused  by the pandemic…  hopefully, back again as bouncy as ever.

Sadly, other news is not so good

 Our main enemy, Riverside Housing Association, is  still as inefficient and bossy as ever.Tenants of this giant Liverpool organisation have been increasingly contacting the blog during the lockdown with shocking stories of Riverside in its home area .

 All these stories are similar in every way to the Carlisle stories this blog has reported over the years through the work of the blog publisher, Carlisle Tenants` and Residents`Federation in holding Riverside to account.

 No change there except that these calls to Carlisle from Liverpool  tenants -100 miles away-  are encouraging for the Federation in that they show that the blog is now more widely read than ever.

 No change either in the news this week that the Runcorn-based tenant charity Taroe is to close. It has been limping along virtually powerless for years and has been largely ineffective. It was only a matter of time before its closure.

Taroe Trust was established in 2013. Taroe Limited was established in 1997 through a merger of two national tenant organisations: the National Tenants and Residents Federation (NTRF), whose origins date back to 1988, and the National Tenants Organisation (NTO), which was created in 1976.

 At its peak, Taroe claimed to have a membership of more than three million tenants and residents. 

Commenting on the closure Michael Gelling the trust chairman said:

 “This is a really sad day for me, the charity itself, and most of all for the wider tenant movement.

“For many years we have continued to support tenants to amicably resolve issues with their landlord whilst also engaging with all the major sector consultations.

“The organisation, which was proudly tenant led and tenant owned, acknowledges the many tenants who have been involved with us on  a voluntary basis, the first class staff it has employed who selflessly supported the aims and objectives of placing tenants at the heart of all decision making within the sector, and the few housing professionals who gave of their expertise and time to promote the value of tenants in all decision making processes.

“Following our closure, unfortunately there will be no national level body that will be promoting the interests of tenants directly from the tenants’ perspective, using the knowledge gathered from experience in providing direct, practical one to one support for tenants.

“This is a real shame, and a gap that we hope will one day be addressed.”

In recent years, Taroe Trust has called for government support for a national “Tenant Voice” to be established so that Tenants are properly represented and engaged in developing national housing policy.

 This issue was raised in the social housing Green Paper of 2018, A New Deal for Social Housing.  The White Paper is expected later this year.

 
Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 5222