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In Camden, where David Milliband lives, one of the biggest issues of the past few years has been the allocation of government money towards the decent homes standard for council homes.
Basically the Labour government refused to grant money that had been set aside, unless the residents agreed to an arms length management organisation (ALMO) or a housing association taking over the housing stock. It was Mr Miliband, as Communities Minister in Tony Blair’s government, who was meant to be working on breaking the deadlock. Former council leader Dame Jane Roberts wrote to him on the subject when she was in office and tenants urged him to intervene. At the time, the Camden New Journal doorstepped him at a Labour Party conference but rather than making any comment he referred reporters to press officers. The council spent over £1 million on it's campaign to convince residents to change to an ALMO; the voluntary organisation Defend Council Housing, fought against it on a £16000 grant from Unison. The tenants voted overwhelmingly to stay with the council. The issue gained extensive coverage in the Camden New Journal (Mr Milliband's local paer)
Milliband was questioned on the issue last week, by Labour councillor Raj Chada, when he made a public appearance in Camden. Here, quoted from The Camden New Journal, is a transcript of the conversation:
MILIBAND: I’m aware there was a specific issue in Camden. I think it was about council house building.
CHADA: No. Decent Homes. I don’t want to get into the history of it but 80 per cent of tenants rejected the Almo [arms’-length management organisation] and the government said no: it’s an Almo or nothing. No money.
MILIBAND: Um-eh. What? Was it a very low-performing department?
CHADA: No. We were top, we were four stars. In terms of performance, there was no need for it [the Almo].
MILIBAND: Ah. What we should be saying is that if you are outstanding you should be allowed to do more – not less. How was this resolved?
CHADA: You didn’t give us the money.
MILIBAND: You didn’t have any Decent Homes money? At all? And it’s still not resolved?
CHADA: It’s still not resolved.
This issue contributed to Labour losing control of Camden Council. The incoming Lib Dem - Conservative coalition council used the government's intransigence to justify selling off council homes at auction, to pay for the decent homes improvements. This despite 18000 households being on the council's housing waiting list.
Labour are now back in power in Camden, no thanks to David Milliband.
A huge issue, local to David Milliband and referred directly to Milliband's department by Tony Blair and he knew fuck all about it!
The thought of this cunt as Labour leader is just so depressing.
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Curmudgeonly Rock 'n' Roll time traveller from ye olden days
2nd verse same as the 1st...
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