Kazantzis Latest Problems

Speech delivered on Sat 27th Jan 2007

Poor old John Kazantzis starts this week with two new problems ahead of him.

But there isn't any surprise about where they've come from: they both stem from his disastrous plans for Lambeth's Housing.

Firstly there's his plans transfer the management of Lambeth's housing to an ALMO. It seems that tenants are so underwhelmed by the plans that not enough of them have come forward to seek elections to the ALMO board. They need 15 people to stand to ensure proper elections. But I hear that only 10 have come forward.

Kazantzis' response is typical. Instead of listening to this message from tenants he's extended the deadline for people to apply. A funny way to run an election if you ask me.

Secondly there are his plans to cut back on funding for the estates run by tenants themselves: the TMOs.

All but one estate walked out of a meeting with Cllr Kazantzis. The one that stayed to listen to his arguments weren't impressed.

But the most startling thing was Kazantzis' excuse for cutting their funds. From what I hear he departed from his usual script and said the TMO funds should be cut because the rest of the Housing department had saved money with its Reframing scheme.

Saved money John? That isn't your usual line. But it is a welcome admission of the facts!