Housing group must restore residents to top table

By John Hill on February 25, 2009 12:52 PM |

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Island Homes has been given until the end of the month to make moves to restore residents to its board.

The housing association sacked its entire 15-strong board last April, citing "serious failures". But it was slammed for its "poor" service in a no-star review by the audit commission in November.

Island Homes was handed control of homes in the Barkantine, Millwall, Samuda and St John's estates by Tower Hamlets Council in December 2005. But many residents feel they have been marginalised following the removal of the board, which featured eight residents as well as seven co-opted experts.

The interim board currently contains only two residents.

Millwall councillor Shirley Houghton accused parent organisation One Housing Group last year of "systematically destroying" the residents associations. And the council's lead member for housing and development Marc Francis has now taken the case to housing minister Margaret Beckett, as well as the new performance regulators at the Tenants Services Authority.

He said: "At the meeting with the TSA, it was made clear that One Housing Group would have to fulfil the promises it made to residents about the way Island Homes would be governed – and that means a majority of residents on the local Island Homes Board.

"One Housing Group was given a deadline of the end of February to produce a “road map�? back to a resident-majority board.

"I can assure residents that we shall continue to press both the TSA and ministers to impose sanctions against One Housing Group if it fails to deliver.�?