Brighton and Hove tenants call for government inquiry in way housing run in city

‎A senior councillor has hit back after tenants called for an independent government inspection in the way social housing is run in Brighton and Hove.

Claiming there had been growing distrust and disenchantment at the way housing was run in the city, tenants passed a vote of no confidence in the city council’s housing department at the biennial City Assembly.

The motion, which was passed with the support of 83% of the 68 people present, claimed they had “serious concerns over the management of their homes”.

Calling it a “sad day”, residents said they were also unsatisfied at the way money was being spent and exclusion of tenants generally from making decisions.

Those behind it claimed they were speaking for the majority of the city’s 14,000 tenants and leaseholders.

But Bill Randall, chairman of Brighton and Hove City Council’s housing committee, said: “I understand the emotions behind the motion, but it paints an inaccurate picture of the city’s housing service and, particularly, tenant involvement.

“We are strongly committed to involving our 11,500 tenants and 2,800 leaseholders in everything we do as a landlord.‎”

John Melson, who proposed the motion, said there had been growing distrust and dissatisfaction among tenants in recent months.

He added this came to a head when Green and Labour councillors voted to scrap the council’s housing management consultative sub-committee last month.

At the time, officials said the body was largely redundant adding it cost £16,000 a year to run.

But Mr Melson, of Wiltshire House in Lavender Street, Brighton, said: “It’s not like I went round rounding up the votes. Cllr Randall is failing to realise that he helped create these problems.”

In response, Cllr Randall said the move to scrap the committee was voted through at two town hall committees by a majority of democratically-elected ‎councillors.

‎He added there were nearly 70 groups run by elected representatives in the city which dealt with social housing issues.

Cllr Randall said: “We have four tenant area panels, which are responsible for the annual £500,000 Estate Development Budget; five Tenant Service Improvement Groups, which look at all aspects of the housing management service and offer suggestions for improvements; the High Rise Action Group, the Sheltered Housing Action Group, the Leaseholder Action Group, the Tenants’ Disability Network and 55 Tenants’ Associations. All the representatives on these bodies are elected. We also hold two City Assemblies a year, which are open to all tenants.

“In addition, tenants and their organisations can make representations to the housing committee and other council committees like any other citizens or group of citizens.”

Cllr Randall said this was in addition to a further 2,000 residents who were surveyed ‎thanks to a drive to connect via social media; and a Tenants’ Scrutiny Panel, which was introduced by the Greens to independently scrutinise any aspect of the housing department’s work.

On value for money, Coun Randall said the council’s housing team were recently assessed by an outside body who said they were good value for money.

He added: “Although I was the lightning conductor for the opposition to the end of the committee from most of the 65 tenants and leaseholders at the City Assembly, I experienced little personal animosity at that meeting and none at the Sheltered Housing Action Group and the Warwick Mount Tenants’ Association meetings I have attended since the assembly.

“I look forward to working with all tenants in the future.”