We're on the A List!
A sad day for Islington's media, as the High&I (...the paper on which we've relied) rolls off the press for the last time. We sincerely thank Rob Bleaney, Jeni Conibeer, and Haroon Siddique for the fair and representative voice they have given Islington's communities in need.
May 19th 2005 -  by Thomas Cooper Improving Housing Through Exposure... ...All a load of Blogs. A new component interface has been added the the TCHI visitor experience. Blogs are a new phenomenon that have grown increasingly popular as a means of internet site visitor input and feedback. It allows TCHI agents to upload content to the blog on TCHI's website, and any visitor to make a comment. Why wait till breakfast time? Add your comments and suggestions right now! Visit the TCHI BLOGS
Friday April 8th 2004 - TCHI's 1st Anniversary Tour is Live.
Islington Gazette April 7th 2005.
April 5th 2005 -  by Thomas Cooper Lower Hilldrop Community Residents' Association (Inaugural Meeting validated by FITA and Homes for Islington) Subsequent a nomination for the role of Chairperson, in a declaration of interests prior to the election I said "I would not defect from the TCHI campaign and the wider housing issues in the borough in the event my being elected. I will however, carry out the communities business in accordance with my role as chair. I am currently preparing the website's anniversary tour (April 8th). Attendees of the meeting were also delighted by the confirmation of funding (£125,000.00). New financial year, and a new future for the Lower Hilldrop Community..
Wednesday March 16th 2005 (by Thomas Cooper) Let The Joyous News Be Spread: Door Entry System for Lower Hilldrop On Its Way!(?) In Homes for Islington (HfI)'s response to the launch of TCHI, security for Lower Hilldrop Estate was identified as the priority by Holland Walk AHO. It has been approved by HfI, and was announced at the Holland Walk Area Housing Panel (AHP) meeting tonight by the Area Housing Manager, David Salenius. Funding is expected to be available for the coming financial year (April 05/06). However, Mr. Salenius did say that work would be unlikely to begin in April, but was hopeful work will be in progress by September. In the June 25th 2004 Updated response by HfI to the TCHI launch "I've spoken with Simon Gagen (Property Manager) and a feasibility study has been commissioned to assess exactly what works are required to bring all systems up to standard, estate wide". In Addition to TCHI's launch and subsequent petition (April 2004): PROPERTIES: Empty/No reply = 4/29; Signed = 25/25 SIGNATURES: 49 (children and adults) HfI presented a petition organised by an active TCHI supporter, also with signatures from every affected property in their block section(14/14). The AHP notes included this petition to support the case. I would like to say "TCHI is delighted by the news, and indeed the maturity HfI are demonstrating by continuing to advance the realisation of its commitment to TCHI". On August 19th 2004: HfI said " It may appear that progress has been slow on this issue, although I'm sure you'll agree that we need to ensure any work undertaken is sufficient to rectify the current difficulties and provide long-lasting security to residents".	According to the feasibility study, the entry system will cost £126,000.00, and, provide long-lasting security to residents. A key reader, Push to exit button and fire override switch; networked security, linked back to Holland Walk Office, using the BT Network.
Friday March 11th 2005 (by Thomas J. Cooper) High&I... and the rest? Today The High&I published a letter I submitted to them last week questioning the apparent anomaly between housing income and expenditure. The letter also featured the misleading nature of the ALMO ballot paper as a dirty trick. Another audacious misrepresentation of the council and HfI's success included, council leader Steve Hitchins posing with a fake cheque made out to the wrong amount. Following recent approval for £25m government funding (just as the general election looms), it seems that HfI demonstrated "excellent prospects for improvement". I would have thought that a visit to TCHI.ORG.UK would have demonstrated this! However, achievement of these prospects are yet to be seen on the ground around here. Nevertheless, they all seemed happy to pose with a prop implying £157m in the bank as of March 7th 2005. Witnessing this (pictured left) induced nausea to the point of my having to leave the public board meeting (March 7th) prematurely. On the matter of resident involvement for Lower Hilldrop and Dalmeny Avenue, we have been issued with notices of a general meeting to establish a "council recognised" residents association. It has been scheduled for April 5th (one year to the day since Homes for Islington Ltd was instated). An excellent opportunity for residents to give their opinions on HfI's progress with our services, facilities and living conditions, one year on.	Wishful thinking? Or, a deliberate attempt to mislead?? Left to right: Council Leader Steve Hitchins; Eamon McGoldrick and Ann Lucas, HfI's Chief Exec and Chair of the board respectively - rollover image includes the board members present. Although the cheque dated March 7th 2005 reads £157m, only £25m has so far been approved!!
Tuesday February 15th 2005 (By Thomas J. Cooper) EVERYBODY NEEDS GOOD NEIGHBOURS! The Resident Involvement Meeting was full of surprises, and our meeting was attended by a significant number of residents from a neighbouring estate (Dalmeny Avenue). Our neighbours turned up to ask if they could join our association. The chair of their association was there and stated that they had not had a meeting in 18 Months (you can't blame HfI for that!). They said that they wanted to merge the two estates into one association, and felt it would be better to combine resources. I welcomed the prospect of working together to help each other, but said that I propose to devolve into groups for each block, and benefit from additional votes at AHP Meetings etc. I said that I would campaign for the devolvement of an independent association for Coombe House. I said that Coombe House had never been fairly represented in the past by a larger organisation, and that having suffered as we have from the resulting conditions, would not trust the upkeep of our homes to luck, in future. There was however a unanimous decision to include Dalmeny Avenue in yet another general notice, and hold a more inclusive meeting, with a view to voting on the merge, and consequent election(s). Eamon McGoldrick did confirm that due to the inability to convene a valid election, Lower Hilldrop T&RA could no longer be recognised by HfI.	(Left to Right) Eamon McGoldrick, Chief Executive; David Salenius, Area Housing Manager; Steve White, Resident Involvement Manager; Stuart Fuller, Estate Services Team Leader; Edward Richards, Performance and Partnership Officer
Saturday February 12th 2005 (By Thomas J. Cooper) The Swankiest Meeting Notices We Have Ever Seen! Notices have been produced by Homes for Islington, and displayed in a number of areas on Lower Hilldrop and Saxonbury Court. In laminated pictographic A3 format, the notices invite all residents to attend a meeting with senior Homes for Islington representatives. This is a result of a proposal at our meeting with Eamon McGoldrick (HfI's Chief Executive) in November last, when the local issues, and repeated failure to establish a valid residents representative group was made clear. The meeting is described as a Resident Involvement Meeting and, is intended to impress upon residents the benefits of resident involvement, and participating in the residents association. If there is agreement by those present on the night, an election to establish a committee will take place. Though I personally believe that one meeting is insufficient to discuss the process of participation, and question the prospective candidates on their knowledge and commitment. However, the decision will made by those present.
Saturday January 15th 2005 (By Thomas J. Cooper) TCHI & Unity, collection for Oxfam. With the Assistance of Homes for Islington staff at Holland Walk, TCHI & Unity carried out an Estate Collection on Behalf of Oxfam. Three distributors, four collectors, one driver, many contributors. The day was a great success. and you can see some pictures from the day. Although the extent of the ongoing need will drop from the headlines, the effects will be felt for years. We are inspired by the support we received from everyone involved, and sill seek to extend the initiative in the near future.
Friday January 8th 2005 (By Thomas J. Cooper) Islington Guardians - We're not alone! The front page of  this week's High&I was headed "We're not taking it any longer". Fired-up by the audaciously undemocratic nature of our elected council, residents and traders have started a protest website (www.islingtonguardians.com), with it's primary focus on the vicious parking strategies currently employed by Hitchins and his fellow predators, on the people of Islington. Additionally, Tim Newark of Islington's Local Freedom Party very astutely pointed out on the letters page, Hitchins's conceited satisfaction that 3/4 of those hit by parking fines were non-Islingtonians. At least Mr. Newark appreciates that they are our friends, family, customers and service providers, whom Hitchins seems to consider "fair game" - something he seems to have difficulty contemplating. Meanwhile, there has been no refuse collection at Lower Hilldrop this week, so the council is not the only load of rubbish around here!
Tuesday December 21st 2004 (By Thomas J. Cooper) TCHI Receives Upsetting Email.. TCHI was copied on an email addressed to HfI's Chief Exec today. An incident involving foil-equiped drug users in a communal lift on Lower Hilldrop, last evening. The sender spoke of her significant efforts to tackle this problem, with letters and petitions to officers at Holland Walk. In the email the resident asked Mr. McGoldrick, being head of the organisation, to "action the mechanisms we are so desperate for". In responce to a forwarded reply, an officer called from holland walk, to acknowledge receipt, and pledge to continue to seek a solution to our absent security.	Season's Greetings Going Live Dec 24th!
Wednesday November 10th 2004 (By Thomas J. Cooper) TCHI Welcomes HFI's Chief Executive to Lower Hilldrop Last night there was yet another failed attempt to hold a valid T&RA election (FITA style) due to only 14 residents attending as opposed to the "required" 15. However, an independently arranged meeting between Eamon McGoldrick, Chief Executive, Homes for Islington, and myself & TCHI supporters, took place this afternoon. Supporters from across the estate met at 2pm outside Coombe House, to participate in an estate tour which was followed by a meeting in Holloway School. We explored numerous areas of concern to residents, including: disabled access to Holland Walk AHO (progress was reported); repair and maintenance issues, our progress to date, and our problems with the resident consultation processes. It was a very productive meeting. Mr. McGoldrick's contributions were warmly, and enthusiastically received by the 11 estate residents, and councillor Wally Burgess (Labour, St Georges) who also attended. There was general agreement to support the establishment of a new more inclusive resident participation process for a more cohesive community.	TCHI Welcomes Eamon McGoldrick (Chief Exec HFI Ltd) Lower Hilldrop Estate November 10th 2004
Tuesday October 12th 2004 (By Thomas J. Cooper) Residents meeting more civil than we have achieved for some time. This evening our so called T&RA meet to discuss estate and community issues. Both the Anti-social Behaviour Officer and Estate Services Team Leader attended on behalf of HFI Ltd, Cllrs Brook and Burgess attended and a representative of Ground Works. The bulk of Items on the agenda were addresses to reasonable satisfaction. I was particularly satisfied that I was allowed to make the majority of my points reasonably fairly, to a more attentive group of attendees, save one or two of the regular rabble rousers. Mindful of the imminent AGM of November 9th, I declined to take issue with the lack of a quorum. Although there were 17 in total present, only 12 of these were residents - the constitutional requirement is 15 members (residents). Having agreed a meeting with HFI's Chief Executive, and the Senior Area Housing Manager. Attendees were, and readers are invited to suggest comment of queries for HFI's representatives. Repeatedly, residents wanted realistic timescales, which I acknowledged, the officers present were unable to answer. date for the diary is Election of valid committee, November 9th, from 7pm - Start 7.30. Hilldrop Community Centre, Community Lane N7.
Friday October 8th 2004 (By Thomas J. Cooper) The people say "Thank you High&I" for supporing TCHI. Today's High&I letters contained two letters sent by residents in appreciation of the support and coverage they have given TCHI. As I have always said, that broken doors and windows can be replaced in time, but time itself can not be replaced. Residents confirm by their letters the negligence, intolerable frustration, and detrimental effects this has on their physical and psychological Health. I wondered if Cllr Vaga (Executive member for Housing and Community Safety), has considered how these areas are linked with more safety considerations than addition policing. Back to Top
Friday October 1st 2004 (By Thomas J. Cooper) It has been a press week to remember for Islington and TCHI. Coverage in both Islington Gazette (Thursday, September 30th, Pg 9), and the Highbury and Islington Express - High & I (Friday October 1st, Pg 15) this week has resulted in record hits, and further affirming (and much appreciated) correspondence. Consequently, invitations are being drawn up to a meeting being coordinated by Unity in The Community, and details will be published in the coming weeks. We extent our warmest thanks to the press. The website initially inspired local residents, and the council, but the press really hits them where it hurts - the general public who are otherwise, innocently oblivious to the extensive dire squalor in a borough in debt to the tune of "£607 Million" (Eamon Mc Goldrick, Chief Executive, Homes for Islington, Housing Consultative Panel meeting, the Town Hall, Thursday, September 30th 2004).
See our News Archive - April - September 2004
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