There was a mixed reception at a consultation on South Kilburn regeneration for the leaflet below. Residents generally welcomed it but some leading councillors were not at all pleased with campaigners.
Residents of 17 blocks will have a Yes/No vote on whether the regeneration should go ahead.
Residents of 17 blocks will have a Yes/No vote on whether the regeneration should go ahead.
Fix these problems first!
· Many of the new flats have had major problems, with flammable cladding, leaking roofs, mould and much more.
· Rents will be higher in new flats and rise more quickly than Council rents.
· Most people won’t remain Council tenants but be transferred to a Housing Association (HA), which already have higher rents. There have been many complaints about how unresponsive HAs are.
· Service charges have gone up considerably for HA tenants.
· Not all new flats are as large as current flats.
· Temporary tenants (some of whom have been temporary for as long as 10 years) in South Kilburn, but they are being offered worse tenancy agreements than those who are already secure tenants.
The ballot asks if regeneration should continue, without addressing any of these problems. Balloting 17 blocks at the same time means residents whose blocks only need refurbishing are pitched against residents whose blocks should be demolished and replaced by better housing.
Both the local (Kilburn) Labour Party and the borough-wide Brent Labour Party have called on the Council to suspend regeneration while these issues are sorted out.
Vote NO and call on Brent Council to come back with proposals which really address our housing problems.
This leaflet is produced by local residents and activists. For information, contact theotherwiseclub@gmail.com