Drakes Walk Walkabout (2)

This is a great picture from this morning of Newham residents, Officers (and myself) at the end of a "walkabout" in Drakes Walk, East Ham.

I am really pleased that the estate is looking far better than it did in March during a previous "walkabout" and it was good to have caretaking, repairs and environment officers with us this time.

As well as the most friendly little dog (front left) I have met in ages (sorry Cara, you have a rival).

There was a long list of repairs and improvements but I feel confident that we will make a difference in our residents lives by such joint walkabouts (every month for tall blocks and every 3 months for low rise) and putting them at the heart of everything we do.

Saints Drive walkabout

Picture college from a recent Saturday morning walkabout in the small, low rise Newham Council estate in Manor Park called Saints Drive. I met local residents, ward Councillors(Cllr Daward and Cllr Patel) and the new (and very pro active) LBN Housing Liaison officer for the ward.

Some agreed outcomes from the walkabout included getting overgrown foliage to be cut back to improve light and discourage Anti social behaviour; blocked/inadequate drains reported; faulty and/or inadequate communal lighting; trip hazards; fly tips; inadequate sweeping; cleaning external windows; Communal repairs; removal of abandoned vehicles (this is a complicated process but can be done. Extending Controlled Parking Zones to housing owned land is a much better way of dealing with this problem); possible gating of alley ways and improved signage including details of contacting local Councillors and relevant Housing officers.

Cllr James Beckles, Cabinet member for Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour also did an inspection of the area later that morning.

I am really pleased that the new team of Newham Housing Liaison officers are tasked to jointly inspect with local Councillors and residents all their patch low rise blocks every 3 months and high rises every month. 

Charlbury House Walkabout - 17 July 2018 with local Little Ilford Councillors (Art in Blocks)

Picture collage from this evening when I did a home visit to Charlbury House with local Little Ilford Councillors, Councillor Riaz Ahmed Mirza and Councillor Pushpa Dipaklal Makwana about an ongoing leak in the block affecting a number of flats that needs sorting.

We did a "walkabout" from top to bottom afterwards and around the outside. The block was generally clean and in good repair but I will be making a number of on-line communal repair & cleaning reports via #LoveNewham app and also assist Cllr Mirza in the chase up of the leak.  

I forgot to discuss with the ward Cllrs about "Art in Blocks" but it would appear that there is already a secure notice board (bottom right) that perhaps we can use? 

Green Point inspection and walkabout - the good, the not so good and art in tower blocks

Last week I went on an 8am "walkabout" in Green Point, Water Lane, E15 with local residents in response to complaints about the failure to repair the communal front entry door, which had led to strangers getting into the block to take drugs and causing pretty unpleasant anti social behaviour.

The door has now been repaired but it had taken far too long and while now secure, it still needs further works. I took the lift up to the top of the block with 2 residents (before they had to go to work) and the block caretaker (who was there doing his morning clean and not because he knew I was coming).

There is a problem with the communal bin chutes on the 10th and 8th floor, which are closed off and I which I need to investigate (there are working chutes on 9th and 7th); gaps in pigeon netting on communal balconies; a broken communal window that was reported in April; some strange seemingly redundant appliances; fire exit gates with FB locks? the ubiquitous abandoned Morrison's shopping trolley; an overflowing recycling bin; 3 redundant contractor bins on ground floor and faulty communal bulkhead lights.

We need to do better on communal repairs to this block and I will be asking for reports on recent repairs but the good side of the walkabout was that the block was gleaming and there was only 1 piece of litter in the entire block. Credit to the local caretaker Alex and his colleagues.  Generally the block did appear to be in a good repair condition.

I want the same standard of cleaning in all housing blocks, estates and streets in Newham and repairs to the same high standard.

I talked to the residents about having "Art in Tower Blocks" (Newham Council owns a large number of paintings and other art works which are stored out of public view and I have often wondered whether we could not exhibit this art safely in the foyers of our housing estates?).

They were interested but were rightly concerned with getting repairs right first.

While I must agree, I can't see why we can't do both? 

Why is Housing the dog that never has its political day?

It was pretty depressing to read "Inside Housing" last week and see that housing is not in the voters top 10 priorities for the general election.

For someone who works in social housing and whose case work as a Councillor is mainly about overcrowding or homelessness, it seems very strange that "housing" is not a top election issue.

This is not just a "London thing". I'm now back from seasonable breaks in North Wales and Lincolnshire where both my sisters have a mid 20's adult "child" living with them because it is too expensive to rent or buy. Another nephew in Ipswich is also still at home saving up to buy aged 30.

So why is there this apparent lack of political interest?

There is an argument that if you are adequately housed then its "I'm all right Jack" and you are simply not that interested in homelessness or poor quality housing.

I'm sure that this is true for some but I think that the deeper real problem is that people no longer believe it is the role of the state to ensure that its people are adequately housed in secure, decent and affordable homes.  Instead housing is treated differently than say the NHS and seen by many as the responsibility of individuals and families.

This is a political problem but a problem that will be eventually fixed. See the chart above (double click to bring up details) which I think illustrates the scale of the housing crisis and how we are in a bubble that will eventually burst.

Since 1969 the supply of housing has crashed. In particular the supply of council housing. Neither private builders nor Housing Associations have taken up the slack. At the same time the price of housing has gone up and up. This cannot continue and something has got to give. Once this bubble has burst housing will become a political priority again. The role of councils is tackling this crisis will be critical.

We have to increase the supply of housing that people can afford and we have to control rents. To increase the supply of truly affordable housing somebody will have to subsidise it. Cross subsidy, freeing public and private land banks and allowing greater freedom to borrow is all well and good. We should not fool anyone that the scale of the crisis is such that it will need money. That money will have to come from the state as it takes up its traditional role again to make sure its people are decently housed. 

 Hat tip IPIN for chart.