Lewisham: Socialist Party takes up the fight against ALMOs

Housing privatisation…

Lewisham: Socialist Party takes up the fight against ALMOs

LEWISHAM COUNCIL, like other authorities is trying to sell off our
council homes to housing associations, PFI or arms length management
organisation (ALMO) bodies. Socialist Party members oppose these plans.

Roger Shrives, Lewisham Socialist Party

For some weeks we have been using a petition from our two councillors
Ian Page and Chris Flood, which nearly everyone we spoke to signed,
demanding a fourth option.

Lewisham council recently announced that they have appointed a
‘shadow ALMO board’ and aim to set up an ALMO company over the next few
months.

The council claims that ALMOs give tenants and leaseholders a bigger
say. But the board that will manage many of our homes is designed to
make sure that the seven tenants’ and leaseholder reps on this board are
in a minority. Most places go to appointed councillors (Blairites at
present) and business representatives.

Business people on this board include one from Impart Links Ltd,
whose website describes them as "a specialist partnering
consultancy providing services to all sectors of the construction
industry" including contractors, developers, suppliers and
sub-contractors. However, getting ‘best value’ for a contractor – ie
higher profits – isn’t the same as getting best value for tenants!

Then there is a business analyst on the ALMO board from Horizon
Housing Group, an "umbrella organisation for a number of social
landlords and businesses" managing 15,000 homes in London, Surrey
and Sussex.

Business venture?

Tellingly, a couple of years ago a "poor Audit Commission
Inspection result at SLFHA Ltd" (a member of the Horizon Group)
"led to SLFHA Ltd and the Group being put into Intervention Level
Supervision by the Housing Corporation."

Shouldn’t Lewisham tenants have a vote on whether we want Horizon
business analysts managing our homes?

Another company rep is from Richmond Housing Partnership, a property
management company. And then there’s a representative from London and
Quadrant Housing Trust, the Housing Association that decided to build a
38-plot development on a Deptford park despite objections from most
local residents.

ALMOs are definitely not an exercise in democracy for tenants! The
business elements will surely be pushing for more sell-offs and the
Blairite councillors on the board won’t resist them.

In Telegraph Hill ward we can fight these backdoor privatisation
plans by voting Socialist Alternative in May’s elections.