Read here (PDF download) a report to the LBTH Cabinet written in 2003 by an aspiring housing official spinning out the vision for the new council sponsored Registered Social Landlord (RSL) EastendHomes Ltd. That ambitious employee was Mr Paul Bloss now the Chief Executive of EastendHomes Ltd.

So compare the report written by Mr Paul Bloss (council officer) and the reality of life in the EastendHomes Ltd empire and you may find that things have changed a lot.

Paul Bloss wrote in 2002

"The idea of developing this new form of registered social landlord (RSL), offering flexibility and opportunities within a community led group structure, has been influenced by proposals by local authorities elsewhere on group structures and the ideas on community control through stock transfer developed by the Federation of Co-operative Housing. The latter is known as the Community Gateway Model".

EastendHomes Ltd have put the General Building Maintenance Services out for tender. Leaseholders may have received a letter recently explaining this.

This will be in the form of two contracts - EEH70 and EEH71. The agreement is for four years, with optional year-on-year extensions, to a maximum of two years.
The estimated values of the works contracts is:

• £500,000 per annum for EEH070.
• £230,000 per annum for EEH071.

More details can be seen online here and here .

Click image to download letter (PDF)

Leaseholders have a right under Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act as amended by section 151 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 to be informed of EastendHomes Ltd intention to enter a "long term agreement"

Anti-transfer campaigners have declared Tower Hamlets Council's controversial Housing Choice programme ‘dead in the water' after tenants comprehensively voted against stock transfer in four ballots last week.

The latest transfer rejections, which included 62.7 per cent of residents who voted on the 1,600 home Ocean estate, reflect a growing trend of tenants turning against transfer in the borough. Out of the last 15 estate based ballots, 10 have elected to keep the council as their landlord.

At the election to the St George’s Estate Management Board recently in June, twelve of the nineteen positions were filled by residents.

However since the elections, events have taken a sinister turn with a member of the board receiving a letter from Mr Paul Bloss, the CEO of EastendHomes indicating that he was refusing his appointment to the board on the grounds of his “extensive and ongoing involvement in activities which are incompatible with the Code of Conduct of local board members”. He elaborated on this suggesting that he has made far too many complaints to EastendHomes, and that he has also contacted bodies including the Tenants Services Authority, the Housing Ombudsman, Tower Hamlets Council and the public domain in pursuit of his complaints of their services and practices.

In justifying his position he states that he is “concerned about the reputational damage to EastendHomes, given the activities by a small number of individuals”.

This action by Paul Bloss is further evidence of the lengths he is prepared to go to in order to silence any resident dissent from his views on the type of housing and services that he believes we should simply accept or put up with. Making complaints where residents have serious concerns is not a crime and does not contravene any code of conduct expected of members of the management board.

EastendHomes Ltd is a registered charity as you can see here on the Charity Comission web site.

As a registered charity EastendHomes Ltd have to provide an annual Summary Information Return (SIR)

The purpose of the Summary Information Return is to provide the public with better information about the wonderful works EastendHomes Ltd are performing. Click this link here for the Summary Information Return 2009 submitted by EastendHomes Ltd at the beginning of 2010

In this report Peter Gibbs - Director of Finance & Resources answered the question-

• What are your charity's main objectives for next year?

One of the three answers to this question was:-

• To develop our residents involvement framework and enhance our Tenant and Leaseholder participation..

If you look at the EastendHomes Ltd website about Resident Involvement & Participation you will find a lot about the local estate boards being central to their claims to have "Local delivery of services, decision making and accountability..."

The TSA has published the new regulatory framework that social housing providers have to meet from April 2010. At its heart are six standards, and against each of these the TSA has described the outcomes landlords should meet and the specific expectations of them.

EastendHomes will produce an annual report in October which will set out the local offers that we have decided. Under Co-regulation we have the legal right to be involved and EastendHomes are legally obliged to make this happen.

The most important of these standards refers to opportunities for increasing involvement and empowerment.

• Tenant Involvement and Empowerment is a cross cutting standard
• It will give a wide range of opportunities to be involved in housing, including strategic priorities, housing related policies & delivery of housing
• We will have the right to agree local offers
• We will have the right to be involved in the scrutiny of EastendHomes and their performance against TSA standards & Local Offers
• EastendHomes will need to set out how they are going to offer us "capacity building". How can a tenant be involved without the necessary training?

We have a right enshrined in law to be involved in decision making.

Eastendhomes Leaseholders & Freeholders Association

Click logo to visit the EEHFLA site

EEHLFA’S first AGM was held on Thursday 29th April 2010 at The East London Tabernacle - Burdett Road - Mile End

For the first time we have a strong, unified voice to take forward a joint campaign to bring about real change for leaseholders and freeholders on all EastendHomes estates.

Now that all launch meetings have been held on all EEH estates in the borough, the AGM was held on the 29th April to elect an official Committee at the East London Tabernacle in Mile End - Also attending were parliamentary candidates from:-

• Conservative - Tim Archer
• Liberal Democrat - Jonathan Fryer
• Respect - George Galloway

Officers of the Committee Elected:

• Chair – Gloria Thienel
• Vice Chair – Jan Anstey-Hayes
• Treasurer – Ares Zaimes
• Secretary – Jill Strudwick

Management Committee Elected:

• Glamis: John Wright, Janet Steward, Desmond Ellerbeck
• Holland: Valeria Stangoni, Yolanda de los Bueis
• Island Gardens: Jasmin Islam, Lorraine Pitcher, Lillian Murray, Roy Pitcher
• Mile End: Stanley Langlais
• St George’s: Debbie Pemberton *

* exact details still to be confirmed. Further nominations can be made at a later date.

I am hearing so many stories of Estate Boards that appear to have absolutely no consultation with the residents that it is supposed to be representing.Residents don't know when the Board meets, who the Board consists of. and how to contact the Board. The worse thing is that your boards get a financial grant from EEH, that grant is for reidents, do you know how they spend it? This is a disgrace! There is no point in getting advice about your Estate Board from EEH as you will hit a brick wall. EEH emblazon their publicity prodly proclaiming, RESIDENT LED! FULL CONSULTATION! In effect they imply that the Boards direct their policies. This is where the danger lies, untransparent Boards "could" rubber-stamp all discussions. and proposals.

Do you know what your Board agrees to?

EEHLFA - Deputation to the Council - 27th January

and to Eastendhomes Main Board - 28th January

Island Garden, St Georges, Glamis, Mile End East and Holland Estates - an opportunity for Leaseholders to work together to achieve justice and fair charges

At the Tower hamlets Full Council meeting on the 27th January, all Councillors voted to support a call to urge Eastend Homes (the Registered Social Landlord or RSL) to recognise the Eastend Homes Leaseholders and Freeholders Association. Cllr Tim Archer put forward the original motion calling on the Council to support the group, and the Council heard a deputation led by Gloria Thienel Chair EEHLA & Interim Vice Chair EEHLFA explaining the treatment she had received at the hands of Eastend Homes, her social landlord.
Jan Anstey Hayes - Interim Chair EEHLFA also spoke and Andrew Coles from the THLA was there along with supporters in the public gallery.

On Thursday 28th January the Group presented their case to the main board of Eastend Homes - they await the outcome on their call for recognition.

Click here to see report of EEHFLA meeting on 19th November
Click here to view the EEHFLA manifesto
Click here to read "leaseholders battle for recognition" in the Advertiser

From the Council Website

11.4 Motion proposed by Council or Tim Archer regarding East End Homes Leaseholders and Freeholders Association
Councillor Marc Francis moved, and Councillor Lutfur Rahman seconded, an amendment to the motion to delete text after “This Council notes” and replace with text as tabled at he meeting. This was agreed and the substantive motion as amended was then agreed as follows.

Results

The Strategic Development Committee voted on the Eric, Treby and Brokesley planning application. The result was 3 votes against the application and 4 votes for.

The efforts of residents and all the local councillors were not taken into account when a political decision was made at the SDC meeting at the Town Hall.
4 Labour votes FOR the plans
3 others AGAINST (Respect, Lib Dem, Conservative).

.

Big thanks to all who turned up again and again at meetings and those who have contributed time and effort over the last eight months.

Click here for Advertiser story