ALMO to be dumped after tenants back council
Tenants have backed a council’s proposal to ditch its arms-length management organisation and take control of its housing stock.
Redbridge Council is now working with Redbridge Homes, the ALMO, to ensure a smooth transfer of services for the 7,000 homes.
A survey was sent to all tenants and leaseholders in November and December 2011 and 63 per cent of the 17 per cent who responded supported the councils proposal to bring the service back in house.
Just 9 per cent opposed the plans, which the council said would result in £400,000 of annual savings.
The contract with Redbridge Homes runs out on 31 July this year and the council will control the stock from 1 August.
Robin Turbefield, Redbridge Council member for housing, said: ‘I am pleased that the majority of tenants and leaseholders who responded were in support of this proposal, it was important for us to get their views and I would like to reassure them we will make this transition as smooth as possible.
‘I would like to reiterate that this is not a reflection on the services Redbridge Homes has provided over the last five years. However, we created the arms-length management organisation to help us unlock government funding.
‘Now this has been successfully achieved it’s important we find the best way of providing housing services as efficiently as possible. We believe bringing services back in house is the best way to do this.’
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Readers' comments (5)
Rick Campbell | 17/01/2012 1:12 pm
I have a question --- if the staff transfer back does that mean that they will be subject to wage freezes (providing, of course, that the Almo staff weren't)?
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Rick Campbell | 17/01/2012 1:53 pm
Apparently, 17% responded to the survey with 63% in favour and 9% against -- that's democracy for you.
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philipjohn001 | 18/01/2012 0:07 am
Most ALMO staff have been kept on the same T & C's that they had when they originally TUPE'd over from the council in the first place. New staff will almost certainly have been taken on with the same conditions as well...
So, yes they will have already been told that their wages are frozen...again.
As for the democracy point you make....it's the same everywhere isn't it? I mean who voted for our current Govt?
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Rick Campbell | 18/01/2012 2:41 am
Thanks for that philipjohn001 and democracy is weird at tines.
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Tony Cook | 18/01/2012 10:32 pm
Perhaps there's confusion regarding the terminology "arms length" - not enough doublespeak about it? Perhaps "council" would work better?
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