Newham Homes ALMO returns to Council

Good news! "Newham Council have agreed that housing services should be brought back under direct control of the council in order to save money and continue to deliver good housing services.

The council's Cabinet agreed on Thursday (December 16) that an agreement with the arms length management organisation, Newham Homes, be ended from next April.

Newham Homes has received £225m of Decent Homes programme funding over the past five years. However, many of the advantages of having an arms length management organisation (ALMO) have now disappeared. The council can now bid for decent homes funding directly from the government and it will be cheaper for the council to deliver housing management services directly.

Consultation with tenants and leaseholders was carried out in November. Some 56 per cent of those consulted supported this change with only nine per cent against.

Councillor Andrew Baikie, executive member for housing, said: "It is simpler, more efficient and more effective for the housing management service to be returned to the council. Significant savings are likely to arise which can be used to fund service improvements.

"We can cut duplicate costs - and the biggest benefit for tenants and leaseholders would be that customer services, neighbourhood management and community safety would be provided by one organisation."

Discussions are under way with staff at Newham Homes and trade unions about the transfer. In the meantime, business continues as usual. Services to tenants and leaseholders should not be affected and the transition of services back to the council should be seamless.

Newham Homes was originally set up in 2005 to access government funding to improve council housing and deliver the Decent Homes programme. A bid for additional decent homes money will be submitted to the government in January". (topical seasonal picture from Newham Story of Newham Homes Repairs depot in Abbey Road).

“On the knocker” with Labour Fire-fighter Michael Nicholas in Canning Town South

On Monday evening I went out canvassing with Michael who is an existing Labour Councillor, a London fire-fighter and who is also on the Executive Council of the Fire Brigade Union (FBU).

I hadn’t been to this part of the Canning Town South Ward before and was impressed with the regeneration works that had taken place in the area. The older “Newham Homes” blocks have been refurbished and there were a number of small new build housing association developments. Estate management and design by both organisations seemed to be pretty good.

Michael was born in Canning Town and has lived in Newham all his life. Local residents were usually quite happy to chat with him about local issues and concerns. So much that we had to take off him the voter ID sheets (NB never let your candidate lead the canvass team).

Pictured with Michael is Charlene McLean who is standing herself as a Newham Labour Councillor in Stratford and Newtown.

Decent Homes – How Labour has made a difference in Royal Docks.

Tonight I went canvassing in the Royal Docks by-election with local ward Councillor Pat Murphy and Manor Park Councillor Kay Scoresby (bottom right of picture). We went to two high rise tower blocks in the ward and door knocked everyone that we didn’t have any voter ID.

The tower blocks were managed by the Council owned ALMO “Newham Homes”. While I am not a fan of ALMOs the blocks had just undergone a high quality major refurbishment under the “decent homes” programme. Some works were still ongoing but I did not hear a single complaint about the works done nor about the contractors. Well done I think to everyone involved.

The Tories while in power staved Councils of money to refurbish and modernise their housing stock. Labour is making a difference up and down the country with the “decent homes” project. There are still problems but tonight talking to people (our people) I felt really proud of what had been done. It is not only about new kitchens and bathrooms. The tower blocks themselves looked clean, in very good repair and well looked after by staff and residents.

Picture of Pat and Kay tonight and top right last week’s canvass team just down the road with local ward Councillor Anthony McAlmont. In one of the blocks we visited last week there was this wonderful titled poster in the ground floor foyer (left).