South Tyneside Homes, the under fire ALMO company (arms length management organisation) created by council executives to manage the Borough’s housing stock, has come in for more criticism today. With a pathetic one star award from the Audit Commission and a corresponding loss of a £167 million housing grant already under its belt, the Gazette today reveals that it’s “Choice Based Lettings Policy” i.e. it’s housing waiting list procedure, has attracted letters and emails all complaining about the system. The previous point and waiting list based system has been replaced by a one that allows tenants to apply for homes that suit their individual needs. However, the new approach has produced some strange results, such as a Boldon Colliery tenant who was not allowed to “downsize” on health grounds, freeing up a three bed roomed family house in return for a two bed roomed bungalow.
Any new system can take time to settle down, but this is South Tyneside Homes, a Council body who have a great hole in it’s works programme a mile wide, and whose report said “Performance on re-letting empty homes, answering telephones and complaints is comparatively weak and there are too many emergency repairs. Estate management services are only satisfactory and the impact of area sustainability initiatives is not routinely measured.” And that’s just one quote from the Audit report. You would think with no money to do its planned improvements this year, the company could use all these free work hours to provide a system which actually works.
So there you have it, despite promises and assurances that the two star mark would be attained next year, STH have got off to a pretty poor start. I wonder if it’s possible to achieve half a star, this might be a better level to aim for!
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