Private Eye, EU referendums and the Role of Coincidence

Chance and coincidence can be a bit weird and unsettling but you have to accept that it just happens from time to time.

This morning in Newham,  by chance I spotted a bundle of papers including musical scores dumped next to a communal recycling bin. I had a look and noticed that there was a single well preserved copy of the satirical magazine "Private Eye" from  1975 in the pile. Which I recycled and took away to read.


Oddly, there was also some minutes from a 1986 Hammersmith and Fulham Conservative Party meeting.

While very few people nowadays will have a clue what the joke was about on the front page regarding "Social Contract" (Goggle it and weep), the 7 March 1975 edition of this 41 year magazine was extracting the Michael about the forthcoming Referendum on the UK membership on the European Union that was also due to take place later that year in June.

....Well, I thought it was all a bit weird.

"LOBOs and the confessions of an ex-auditor"

Check out this article in the local government finance online site "Room 151". Former auditor, Stephen Sheen, looks critically at the decision making process that resulted in Councils taking out LOBOs (Lender Option; Borrower Option) in the first place.

He thinks that the arguments that LOBOs were better than PWLB (the government Public Works Lending Board) are "somewhat disingenuous". The big numbers thrown by critics do not "illuminate the evils inherent in LOBOs"  To be fair he seems to be not a great fan of any long term fixed rate loans.

He "fesses" up that as an auditor at the time there was little thought about whether "LOBOs had unlawfully sneaked Bermudan swaptions" back into Local Government finance (after I assume the Hammersmith & Fulham debacle).

The suspicion is that LOBOs appeared attractive since loans could be rolled over and spread for unprecedented time periods.  Also the initial "teaser" interest rates (some 0%) provided short term financial relief.

His final thoughts were that this is still relevant since "it is still the episode from my twenty-year audit career that I remember with most concern about the enduring question of the acceptance of advice without due critical reflection". So I think he means if it happened once, it could happen again.

This is the only commentory I have read in mainstream council media that "suggests" LOBOs were a bad deal for local authorities. Unlike the Housing Association world where it is widely accepted that LOBOs were a disaster, in Local Government, we still have our heads buried in the sands.

If you are in a hole, the first thing to so is to stop digging and get yourself out of the hole. Councils holding large amounts of LOBOs should accept that they have been mis-sold unlawful loans and then combine together (with housing associations) to sue the Banks and the advisers.

Otherwise we face spending billions of pounds that we haven't got on profits for the Banks paid for by further slashing and burning public services.

Can we start this by having some more confessions please. 

If you don't have a clue what I am talking about (not an uncommon occurrence) check this article http://grayee.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/how-banks-are-ripping-off-councils-and.html

Hat tip Mr Meech.

Labour Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

While I was proud of the Labour victory in Newham during the May 22 local elections, I was really pleased when I heard that we had defeated the Tories in their right wing "flagship London Borough" of Hammersmith and Fulham.

Check the interview here (and hat tip picture) of Labour Leader and my good comrade, Stephen Cowan.

Stephen has his own blog The Cowan Report and most recent Labour Party conferences we have met up for an evening to put the world to rights.  Congratulations to Stephen and the local Party for their fantastic victory.

The Bile on Sunday turns on its own: The Tory CEO and the Tory Housing Advisor

Yesterday, UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis, at our Community conference, referred to the ideologically motivated attacks on vulnerable workers and carers by the Tory Housing Advisor and £197k per year CEO of Notting Hill Housing Trust (Kate Davis). 

The day before, the usually hideous "Tory On Sunday" published a full attack on Kate Davis (who believe it or not is also allegedly a former General Secretary of the  Revolutionary Communist Party) and her partner Nick Johnson.

Nick use to be the £203k CEO of Tory Bexley Council.  He had a heart attack and was medically retired with a pension of £50k a year.  The Tory "Bile" claims that 4 months after being medically retired he was appointed as CEO of the Tory Council Hammersmith and Fulham Homes (ALMO) at £260k per year! 

"The Bile" further alleges that Nick's permanent health disability pension is not reduced (I think the correct term is "abated") due to his new employment because Hammersmith and Fulham have allowed him to receive his income via a private company?  If this is true it it absolutely outrageous to Council tax payers and those who have been dismissed due to ill health but would lose their pension if they are able to work.

But, what can you expect? this is what Tories do for their own!

Housing Matters 25 October 2009

Big Failure over Fire Safety results in Tiny fine?
Inside Housing has a Crazy story about an utterly inadequate sentance given out for serious safety failures – “two residents escaped and another was rescued uninjured from flats in a three-storey building in the Morecambe area in March last year. Fire crews investigating the blaze found a fire alarm system was not working, fire doors were not self-closing or fitted with smoke seals, a fire exit door was not fitted with an appropriate lock and no FRA had been carried out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005".

This block was owned by Lancaster Council who were fined just £3000 and “managed” by Adactus Housing Group who were only fined £2000 (plus costs). What sort of message or deterrence does such a tiny fine send out to Landlords about the importance of ensuring basic fire safety?

Easy Jet Council Sheltered set back
Roof reports here on another London Tory Council Barnet and its plans for an “Easy Jet” style service plan. Residents will be able to pay extra to jump the queue for services. It also reports that the Council’s plans to get rid of residential wardens in its sheltered blocks have now been put on hold due to a pending judicial review that the Council failed to properly assess the impact of such cuts on disabled and elderly residents.

“They also have a reputation for being chummy with investors and developers...”
In another report here Inside Housing goes amongst the “slums” and the “barracks of the poor” in Hammersmith and Fulham (H&F) to meet Stephen Greenhalgh right wing leader of its Conservative Council. Greenhalgh was the co-author of a recent pamphlet called Principles for social housing reform published by the think tank Localis. In which he clearly calls for the ending of security of tenure and the introduction of market rent levels. He and the Tory Party are now busy trying to distant themselves from the report. Even though Conservative shadow minister for housing Grant Shapps was at a meeting to welcome it. Local tenants point to new H&F Council developments where there is no public housing included and of course the local Tory Politian’s have “a reputation for being chummy with investors and developers” and enjoy regular visits to developer conferences in the south of France.

Sanctuary at home from DV & Hate
The LGA report on a scheme (it’s not a new idea but is being reported as one) to encourage building “panic rooms” within homes for victims of domestic violence and hate crime. “The rooms have solid core doors, reversed to open outwards with two mortice bolts fitted to the inside of the door along with three large steel hinges and a 180 degree door viewer. An emergency telephone is also provided under the scheme – 999 only – and will be wall mounted”. This is an excellent initiative since many at risk do not want to “go homeless” and flee their home but they must have protection if attacked at home and before the Police arrive.

The first Election manifesto
The FED launched their manifesto last week and had 30 MP’s in attendance (including 3 former housing ministers). Some of things I found interesting that they called are:- £11.7 billion investment to build 150,000 homes 2011-14; manage unsold private sector new build at market or sub market rents until recovery; allow more public housing to be made available to those who are not the most vulnerable but cannot afford homes; compel the nationalised banks to give mortgages for shared ownership and stopping pre-payment rip offs for domestic fuel.

(this is my weekly round up of Public Housing news - picture is of a East London Estate taken at dusk last week which I just happen to like)

Same old Nasty Party – Same old Tories

Hat-tip thingy to Stephen Cowan – leader of the Hammersmith & Fulham Labour group for this video on what really happens to ordinary working people when Cameron Tories take charge.

The Conservative Council leaders are having secret negotiations with property developers in Cannes, French Riviera (of all places) about demolishing H&F local public housing estates. The Tories are determined to export their poorer residents out of the borough. No wonder they are accused of Gerrymandering.

Stephen this morning asked me to send this YouTube posting to UNISON Labour link members to remind them of the nightmare reality of Tory rule.

With pleasure Stephen.

Plug No 1 from “Local Labour Round Up”

It‘s been a positive week for “John’s Labour Blog”.

On Thursday the leader of the Labour opposition in Hammersmith & Fulham Council, Stephen Cowan, here in his blog “The Cowen Report” mentioned my attack on “Why Corrupting Boris is now beyond a Joke”.

He was reviewing Labour supporting blogs.

Camden Labour Councillor and Theo’s Blog author, Theo Blackwell, has had the excellent idea of setting up a regular Labour “blog round up”. Different Labour activists will take turns at reviewing Labour blogs.

What a great idea! I'm trying to do something somewhat similar by posting on public housing issues every few weeks - "housing matters".

The Worse Tories in Britain – Hammersmith & Fulham Council

Stephen Cowan, the Labour Group Leader at Hammersmith & Fulham Council (H&F) writes a very good blog (The Cowan Report) about the goings on at the now Conservative run Council.

In particular I thought his post here about what happens to staff when Labour loses control of Councils to Tories is very apt. H&F switched to the Tories in the last local elections in 2006 after decades of control by Labour. Since then front line staff have had their wages reduced by up to 50% while at the same time Senior Tory Councillors have increased their bonuses by 14-18%. Council services have been “dogmatically” transferred out to private contractors. Over 4,000 staff are being dismissed and re-engaged on inferior terms and conditions. There will be a reduction in maternity pay, dependency leave and extended working hours.

Like Stephen I do still meet La La land Council workers who also claim that there is no difference between Labour and the Tories. Tell that to the UNISON members in H&F who are currently serving out their redundancy notice.

I also posted recently here about the attempt of H&F to build a major housing development with no public (social) housing. This is the Tories gerrymandering at the expense of the poor and vulnerable.

Recently I met up with a local Labour Party member and trade union activist who is normally very critical of the Party and many of its policies. However, he reminded me that he still strongly believed that even on its worse day a Labour government or Council was far better than a Tory one on its very best day. Some people need to remember this.

Mind you are H&F Tories the worse in Britain? There is one heck of a lot of competition.

Tories to “build Labour out of London”

My second post based on (my interpretation) of an “Inside Housing” email bulletin. The title of the actual article is the slightly less controversial “Boris lets Tory council slash social housing”.

It refers to the decision by Boris’s deputy mayor, Ian Clement, to let Tory Council Hammersmith & Fulham approve a new large development with NO social housing at all. This was only just weeks after the GLA’s own planners branded it “unacceptable”. This is in White City, which is an area of massive waiting lists and housing need. The Council even owns the land.

In order to alleviate overcrowding developers are usually required to set aside a percentage of new build properties for social housing. The Tories reckon that the area already has enough social housing in that area so bringing in 100% private ownership will for example reduce “housing benefit” claims.

I am sure of course that this has nothing to do with past Tory Westminster Council “gerrymandering”. Obviously reserving this development for only private homebuyers has nothing to do with any attempt by this newly elected Tory Council to get rid of pesky social housing tenants? Who might even (God forbid) vote Labour in local elections? Of course not!

Labour minister Herbert Morrison was condemned for supposedly saying, while the leader of the pre war London County Council (LCC) that he would “build the Tories out of London”. He always denied actually saying this.

Never mind, it appears that this generation of Tories are prepared to exploit the human misery of housing need to further their own “Lebensraum”

(poster above is for what came to be known as a "Morrison Shelter")