On Saturday I helped out at our local Labour MP, 
Lyn Brown, “Community Coffee Morning” for residents of Green Street West ward, (West Ham CLP London). All the ward councillors are currently (paper) members of “disRespect”. Their only ward in Newham. Since the disRespect councillors are non functioning, there was a lot of non-parliamentary case work which I could help out with.
Two tenants of London & Quadrant, a big registered social landlord (housing association, which manages nearly 50, 000 homes, mostly in London and the South East), arrived independently of each other, to ask for help over about the management of their block (definitively not the picture on the left) of 11 flats, which L&Q runs.
They complained that street prostitutes used the secluded rear car park of the block for “business” and local youths to smoke drugs. Also, that the letter boxes for residents were being constantly broken into and post stolen. Lyn promised to write to LQ.
Being an Estate officer (and therefore an instinctive cynic – shame on me) I decided to stop off on the way home and check things out at the block. I must admit that I was pretty horrified on what I found. The car park at the rear of the block was insecure and secluded, obviously perfect for anti-social behaviour of all sorts. However, it was the condition and position of tenant's post boxes that made me stand and stare. They were on an external wall facing the rear car park. There appeared to be no security apart from some low power communal bulk heads (lights). The post boxes were cheap and nasty. Any 15 year old with a screwdriver could jemmy them open (as you can see) under cover of darkness.
Now, I will admit that my own estate (an inner London council housing estate) is not perfect and has its “problems”. However, it is clear that these LQ tenants do not have what we most of us take for granted, a safe and secure postal service. They are effectively disfranchised from a big chunk of every day life.
The tenants praised the local LQ staff but felt that they were unsupported by senior management and constantly being changed (always a sign of organisational problems)
The letter boxes need to be either repositioned inside the block (protected by the door entry system?), or much better protected or maybe there should be individual letter plates to each flat front door? I will also write to LQ about this stupid situation on behalf of the ward “Labour Action” team. Also copy to top Labour GLA member, John Biggs, who I have no doubt will be equally unimpressed. LQ need to get their act together.
Lyn Brown, “Community Coffee Morning” for residents of Green Street West ward, (West Ham CLP London). All the ward councillors are currently (paper) members of “disRespect”. Their only ward in Newham. Since the disRespect councillors are non functioning, there was a lot of non-parliamentary case work which I could help out with.Two tenants of London & Quadrant, a big registered social landlord (housing association, which manages nearly 50, 000 homes, mostly in London and the South East), arrived independently of each other, to ask for help over about the management of their block (definitively not the picture on the left) of 11 flats, which L&Q runs.
They complained that street prostitutes used the secluded rear car park of the block for “business” and local youths to smoke drugs. Also, that the letter boxes for residents were being constantly broken into and post stolen. Lyn promised to write to LQ.
Being an Estate officer (and therefore an instinctive cynic – shame on me) I decided to stop off on the way home and check things out at the block. I must admit that I was pretty horrified on what I found. The car park at the rear of the block was insecure and secluded, obviously perfect for anti-social behaviour of all sorts. However, it was the condition and position of tenant's post boxes that made me stand and stare. They were on an external wall facing the rear car park. There appeared to be no security apart from some low power communal bulk heads (lights). The post boxes were cheap and nasty. Any 15 year old with a screwdriver could jemmy them open (as you can see) under cover of darkness.
Now, I will admit that my own estate (an inner London council housing estate) is not perfect and has its “problems”. However, it is clear that these LQ tenants do not have what we most of us take for granted, a safe and secure postal service. They are effectively disfranchised from a big chunk of every day life.
The tenants praised the local LQ staff but felt that they were unsupported by senior management and constantly being changed (always a sign of organisational problems)
The letter boxes need to be either repositioned inside the block (protected by the door entry system?), or much better protected or maybe there should be individual letter plates to each flat front door? I will also write to LQ about this stupid situation on behalf of the ward “Labour Action” team. Also copy to top Labour GLA member, John Biggs, who I have no doubt will be equally unimpressed. LQ need to get their act together.
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