Yesterday afternoon I attended the High Path Community Association’s meeting with Create Streets, to discuss the regeneration of the estate. Create streets made a very interesting presentation about the most effective ways for residents to make their views heard on regeneration projects, with examples of best practice from across London.
Significant concerns with Circle Housing, the local Housing Association, were raised with me at the meeting. There are rightly concerns with their record of home repairs and responsiveness, which I deal with on a daily basis through constituents asking for my help. Circle Housing are proposing to merge with Affinity Sutton, another Housing Association. Residents feel like not enough information has been provided about this. Finally, residents want to see good quality construction on the Estate, not just in terms of aesthetics, but more in terms of robustness and being structurally sound.
After listening to residents, I am:
- Seeking a meeting with the Chief Executive of Merton Council and the Head of Housing at Circle to discuss building control to ensure any building on the High Path Estate is of high quality and is strictly monitored. I will invite representatives from the High Path Community Association to this.
- Working with the High Path Community Association to bring representatives from Circle Housing, who are working on the merger, to a future public meeting.
- Writing to the Secretary of State for Local Government, and the Homes and Communities Agency about their scrutiny of Circle’s performance, and construction.
Earlier in the year I wrote to Merton Council’s scrutiny panel, to suggest they examine Circle Housing’s performance and proposed merger.
I am pleased that this suggestion has been taken up and Circle Housing will be attending the next two meetings of the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel. The first, which will be held at 7.15pm on 7th September in the Civic Centre in Morden, will focus on the merger. You can find more information here: http://democracy.merton.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=157&MId=2541&Ver=4
The second, which will be held at 7.15pm on 1st November will focus on repairs and regeneration.
Members of the public are able to attend these meetings. I will not be able to due to Parliamentary business, but I will be submitting written representations.