NEW ALLEGATIONS BACK UP RIVERSIDE ACCUSATIONS

`Shameful culture of gross inefficiency`  
 
 A housing officer who wishes to support the campaigning work of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents’ Federation has offered this blog some reflections about the poor and inefficient working practices  experienced while working for  three big housing associations  in Scotland and the north of England.

The allegations  are very similar to those levelled  by the federation over several years against Liverpool-based Riverside Housing Association.

From this, it is difficult not to conclude that several large  housing associations are riddled with a culture of grossly inefficient working.

This is what the housing officer says: 

“The work of the Carlisle Tenants and Residents’ Federation  highlighting the bad management practices of/abuse of power by remote, unaccountable Riverside (and other)  large housing associations is impressive and necessary 

“I have worked for registered social landlords for more than
30 years, and in the last three years have been employed by three large associations:  Home Group, Your Housing Group, and
Liverpool Mutual Homes (now part of the Torus Group)
In my view, there was scant evidence of a service ethic.

“ In the three large  housing associations  I worked for, I witnessed much management and organisational inefficiency, chaotic day to day operational practices and inexperienced and unsupported staff making things up as they went along.'

“Overpaid senior staff (some of whom delighted in behaving in a bullying and intimidating way towards staff), were committed to denying the reality of terrible service to tenants and residents, choosing instead to believe their associations’ hype and glossy publicity material which focused on highly suspect and unreliable performance statistics.

 Direct contact from tenants/service users with housing and maintenance staff was discouraged and made difficult, and complainers were frequently demonised

It has long concerned me that un-elected, unaccountable but generously subsidised housing asociations are so politically favoured - and that their appalling practices and excesses regularly go unchallenged.”

  Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 522277

A MUCH- LOVED FLOWER OF SCOTLAND

Kenny`s

farewell  to his `wee bit Hill and Glen`

A city housing estate gave  local hero Kenny Simpson a spectacular send off when many of the people turned up  for the funeral sevice.

Well over 100  – most of them Kenny`s neighbours from the Petteril Bank estate in Carlisle - attended   the service at Carlisle Crematorium.

His coffin  arrived on vintage seven-ton ERF truck driven by his son, also called Kenny. His dad had driven such trucks for most of his working life . Then came the trucker`s song Eastbound and Down:

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin',
We're gonna do what they say can't be done.
We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
I'm east bound, just watch ol' "Bandit" run.

Ted Maltzahn (left) a  trucking friend from Worcester praised Kenny`s long business comradeship.

 Rev Katie Hyslop, a local priest and friend praised Kenny`s countless acts of kindness to friends and neighbours in Petteril Bank. She said Kenny was a “go - to person” in his community…”always accessible to help, and always available.”

And the service ended with a reminder of Kenny`s Scottish roots- he was born  in Fife- and the pipes played Flower of Scotland:

O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
Your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen.

  Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 522277

TENANTS` FEDERATION LOSES TWO KEY MEMBERS

 Steven`s  sudden death is  a double  blow

A second  death has added to the sadness following the death of Carlisle community hero Kenny Simpson whose funeral takes place at 3pm on Friday(May 3) at Carlisle Crematorium.

Steven Hall who has died was a community worker friend of Kenny and lived in the flat above him in Meade Road, Petteril Bank.

Steven was a native of Kendal and ran a public house there prior to moving to Carlisle.

Kenny`s funeral service will be taken by Canon Jim Hyslop, Vicar of Upperby, and associated priest the Rev Katie Hyslop.

Kenny who was 74  died in the Cumberland Infirmary. Steven who was in his fifties died in his sleep at home two days ago.

The two men were long-standing members of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation which publishes this blog. Kenny was Federation treasurer.

A Federation spokesman said today:The death of Kenny and Steven is a big blow to the  Federation. Both continued to play an active part in supporting  Carlisle tenants and residents and will be badly missed.”

Since  Kenny`s death tributes have been paid by community transport colleagues-  up to recently Kenny spent several days a week as a volunteer driver for community buses. In the early days of computers he led the way in giving away dozens of second-hand computers to needy local people .

 Tributes have also been paid to his other community work- he won awards for environmental work clearing the nearby River Petteril.

Then, twenty years ago, he went on to help Carlisle City Council to form a registered  local charity, Carlisle South Community Associatiion.

                                                                       Dale End Park

 Recently the association has taken the lead, alongside the city council`s  Green Spaces,  in planning big improvements to  Petteril Bank`s Dale End Park play area.

Notably at the moment, Kenny has been supporting  Carlilse Tenants` and Residemts` Federation in helping Longtown Action for Heat  community group in fighting the giant  Riverside housing organisation  for affordable heat in the homes of many Riverside tenants in Longtown.


 Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 522277 .

THE NEEDY FOUND A CARING FRIEND

Community

hero Kenny Simpson

dies

Sad to  announce the death this afternoon of  legendary  Carlisle community worker and activist Kenny Simpson(left). He had been taken ill at his home in Meade Road, Petteril Bank and died later in the Cumberland Infirmary. He was 74.

It  is thought that Kenny had a heart attack. Previously he had survived  cancer three times and  on one occasion several years ago had been admitted to Eden Valley Hospice.

Kenny was a friend to all  said a neighbour today.

He added: “Kenny was particularly kind to families  in Petteril Bank estate where he was  on call day and night with helpful advice and a  helpful  free car and trailer service.   

“Hundreds of times over the years he has spent his days transporting furniture and household goods for hard up families moving home. Sometimes he was paid, but far more often he wasn`t .

“Often he was called to  give lifts to families visiting hospitals in Newcastle or further away and sometimes to give lifts to people visiting relatives in Durham  or Haverigg prisons.

“Everyone on the estate will miss him badly, He was a Petteril Bank hero- a  local legend.”

Older people will remember Kenny as a well-known long distance lorry driver who spent weeks away from home travelling to Afghanistan and other places in the Middle and Far East.

Later, he ran his own transport business from his home.  After he retired, he  did voluntary work driving community transport buses for Cumbria County Council.

Kenny will also be  well remembered for his work as a community activist helping fellow tenants of Two Castles Housing Association and a key  leader of Carlisle Tenants`and Residents` Federation which publishes this blog.

 
Kenny had been treasurer of the Federation for a many years and attended his last Federation meeting three days prior to his death.He had also been treasurer of two other community groups, Friends of Dale End Park and Botcherby Forever.

A Federation  spokesman said:  "There have already been many tributes to Kenny and his work from all over the city. He showed the same dedication to the Federation and the other groups as that shown to his local community. He was hard-working, helpful at all times and extremely popular. He will be badly missed."

Kenny is survived by his wife Joan, his son Kenneth, and daughters Joanne, Katie and Julie.

 Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 522277 .