Forum Topic

Great West  Quarter

Mary Macleod MP calls meeting in Parliament over Great West Quarter saga Local MP Mary Macleod has called for a meeting in Parliament with representatives of A2 Dominion and Barratt homes following news that Trico House residents in the Great West Quarter are still suffering from sewage, hot water and heating problems. At the meeting, she will personally investigate the ongoing issues affecting Trico House residents in order to ensure that a comprehensive resolution can be established. Mary said:“Residents of the Great West Quarter have been living with disgraceful living conditions for far, far too long. Just before Christmas, residents were without hot water and heating in their homes for several days – an issue which has surfaced time and time again. It is appalling to see families with young children having to suffer these conditions! They have also been subject to a foul stench from sewage, about which I continue to push for answers. I have therefore organised an emergency meeting in Parliament with Barratt Homes and A2Dominion so we can thrash out a solution that will be lasting and binding.”Mary has been aware of the long-running issues faced by the residents of Great West Quarter for some time. Last year, after being contacted by a number of her frustrated constituents, Mary called a meeting with all residents to discuss their concerns. The session was attended by members of the residents association, local councillors and representatives from A2Dominion where each party was able to voice their concerns. Since then Mary has been in constant contact with the Chief Executives of both A2Dominion and Barratts in an effort to resolve these factors. She is fully supportive of the residents at Trico House and the problems they are facing and will continue to work on their behalf to help resolve the situation.Mary added:“As the local member of Parliament I will continue to represent the views of Trico House residents and push for improvements to the situation at the Great West Quarter. I hope that in the course of discussions with A2Dominon and Barratt Homes we will finally be able to resolve matters for residents.”

John Todd ● 4402d36 Comments

I know nothing much about A2D but they are a charity. I'm not sure that actually means very much but there is some requirement for transparency and some, no doubt pretty light, oversight from the Charity Commission.David Giles casually implying wrongdoing by councillors without any evidence is despicable. Or does he have some?

Guy Lambert ● 4258d

Except she has done very little in 6 months.A2D and many other Housing Assosciations extracting themselves from Charitable status to avoid any form of transparency, need to be legislated against to ensure they do not become a gravy train for a handful of executives and a cloak for property developers.It seems there are as many Tories and Lib-dem politicians in the pockets of HDs as there are Labour. Borne out by the reluctance of politicians all over London and other cities to instigate enquiries.

Raymond Havelock ● 4258d

It does appear that A2 Dominion has become a perversion of what a Housing Association should be and is now being run in the interests of its management rather than in the interests of residents and taxpayers.A2 Dominion seems to have a particularly close relationship with Hounslow's Labour Council.  This should be terminated immediately. Any Councillors who have received donations from A2 Dominion should declare them and return them immediately.It is good to see that Mary Macleod MP is taking a serious interest in this issue. As an MP, she is not party to the relationship between A2 Dominion and Hounslow's Labour Council and can speak directly to the Housing Minister and other ministers with powers to act in this matter.

David Giles ● 4259d

Raynold, absolutely spot on!You could not describe with better words what A2D are.After 4 years of continuous issues and meeting with them we believe who is dictating rules inside and these persons have to be axed and ashamed.You may want to know that yet another MP in Ruislip (Nick Hurd) has called for a meeting in Parliament on June 12 with A2D and the residents associations of a big Estate who have suffered for years. Nick has also linked in with other fellow MPs and we hope soon they will decide to act and investigate A2D, create an inquiry on this company and meanwhile stop them from receiving taxpayers' money.Here in GWQ we have stopped dealing with A2D 'cause after 4 years we have enough: we are working with the local Councillor to have them removed from here for negligence and failed duty of care. Anyone happy to support our case is very much welcome to send their message across to A2D, local Councillors (i.e. Ruth Cadbury), local MP, Housing Minister and so on. Even if you don't deal with A2D directly you have the right to know how your taxes are spent by A2D.Thanks everyone for reading   

Emanuele Sozzi ● 4262d

My company has to business with them and the staff are either brainwashed or in fear to make anything other than the decisions they are told to make or the other sort who are outright gravy train riders.% years back they were a pleasant lot but something changed. Not any more.Which is why I was interested on hearing of the plight of so many hard working but less than affluent tenants having such a hard time.They really do regard their stock in trade as second rate people.My grandfather was a founder of a Housing Assosciation having been treated like dirt with the landlords of the time. He was driven by helping eradicate the greed and bullying of multiple landlords.He would turn in his grave now. A2D and others have started to become the very thing they were created to eliminate. The greed and money and lack of any sort of proper regulation has allowed this cancer to multiply.Suggest anyone with a family member, friend, or such, who is suffering from the myriad of problems these greedy and uncaring organisations are becoming write letters to our MPs and councillors and the housing minister.Far too many ordinary people are in the hands of these shysters, not to mention the fact that they are also having a lovely time lining their nests on the taxpayer. The council and govt must stop the money until they meet a much more transparent criteria and start meeting the duty of care for their existing tenants.

Raymond Havelock ● 4262d

http://www.a2dominion.co.uk/rte.asp?id=9They seem to think that they are wonderful to work for.  It looks as though they may be spending too much time on their public profile.

Philippa Bond ● 4262d

There was a headline on this TW8 site in January about Mary MacLeod MP calling A2D to task.I understand that she is not alone in being fobbed off by A2D.They have had several London MPs and Councillors from several Boroughs as far away as Havering trying to get resolutions for some really poor standards that tenants have to endure.I understand that the new leader of Hounslow council is also aware as are several other councillors and both neighbouring MPs for both Heston and Southall are also aware of A2Ds mix of huge salaries, huge profits, high service charges and poor standards.But so far they have evaded everyone from tenants right through to MPs.As these organisations receive funding from us the local and national taxpayers it is about time councils and the housing minister got tough and make changes to how these organisations operate.Surely a class action is the best option for tenants?

Raymond Havelock ● 4266d

Emanuele,If this has been going on since 2010, then it has gone on 4 years too long.I understand that there are serious public health matters involved and those alone justify the involvement of Mary Macleod MP. I have contacted a solicitor about this and hopefully he will be in contact soon.

David Giles ● 4266d

Hi Davidthanks for the advice.However since 2010 we have been dealing with Ruth and Mary and got a couple of meetings here in GWQ with them and A2D director. In February Mary has called for a meeting in Parliament with A2D (no residents were invited though) and we have handed to her our residents' association petition to have A2D removed from GWQ. Nothing has happened and A2D have lied to their teeth to Mary and she just allowed A2D to make  a foul of herself.As for the legal option of course this is something we are looking into but cost implication is putting off many residents (most of them tight with money).Do you know any solicitor/lawyer worth to contact?

Emanuele Sozzi ● 4267d

The residents of the Great West Quarter should lobby their newly elected Labour Councillors and their MP Mary Macleod on this issue. If they do so as a residents association with a well argued position paper,  petitions etc they will be more effective.However they would also be well advised to obtain specialist legal advice regarding their leases and their relationship with their managing agent. I am sure there are a number of local solicitors firms who would be willing to give an initial consultation free of charge.

David Giles ● 4267d

Emanuele, You are right. This is a thread about GWQ. From my part, I am sorry if my comments (as examples of light political sparring) have done a disservice and detracted from the real issues affecting the residents of GWQ which should be the focus of this thread.

Fadi Farhat ● 4268d

Please remember that this thread is for GWQ Great West Quarter in Brentford. It's not about politics but real life, where residents have not received constant hot water and heating for 4 years, where residents were then forced by A2D to install pre-paid smart meters (on a higher tariff than open market), where repairs take always ages to be taken (as long as 3 years for roof leaks), where communal electric doors break on weekly and no security is guaranteed for residents (anyone can enter at any time), where illegal parking is not tackled by A2Dominion (residents have paid 10-20k for a parking bay that can be occupied by anyone collecting tickets but not having a single warning from A2D, where ASB and fly tipping is not tackled by A2D (CCTVs are not properly used and most of the time A2D state not to know the person in the picture and no further action is taken), where lease is not enforced against bad tenants but just for not paying service charges, where smoke alarms are not installed in communal areas to avoid nuisance in case they go off!!!! We have been living with these and other issues since 2009 and our lives have been put on hold for far too long. Mary wanted to stop this saga and called for a meeting in Parliament without inviting residents (a great mistake that has not been forgotten during the elections).There are many other Estates in the UK suffering from the same level of incompetence by A2Dominion and no matter which politician (Labour, Conservative and so on) will show to be brave enough to stand against A2Dominion is more than welcome here.

Emanuele Sozzi ● 4268d

Andrew, I, too, was worried on Friday. Everybody should be when the refreshingly organic ICG has no councillors and when the Tories are nearly reduced to single figures to give Labour a strong grip on the council. It's not really good for democracy which is ironic because democracy produced that result.

Fadi Farhat ● 4268d

Adam, Good point. We live in a time when politicians are branding old ladies as 'bigots' or sticking the knife in on one's brother to be party leader or telling us to treat our neighbours displeasingly if they speak a foreign language (despite that person's own children speaking German) as well as councillors telling us that the recent floods were caused by God's dismay at the legalisation of gay marriage. Against that backdrop, if the only blemish on one's integrity is expressing support for their boss in April 2014 in respect of a pre-2010 expenses issue under the old regime [emphasis added] and where the person expressing that support (Mary) has not done anything wrong herself, I'll take that any day of the week.  I suppose I'm saying that with a tint of bias but I'd like to think that my opinion would've been the same for Mrs. Keen had that been the only problem to her integrity.

Fadi Farhat ● 4268d

Judging a MP's performance is very subjective. We all have different criteria on what we judge them by and many will argue that Mary McLeod has been a good MP and many will disagree. The same can be said of her predecessor Ann Keen. Mary did have the look of a worried woman last Friday though.

Andrew Sibley ● 4268d

Such as supporting Maria Miller for example ? - having been elected an MP in part no doubt to constituents unhappiness with Ann Keen in respect of expenses, I still find it remarkable that Mary McLeod would publicly come out in support of Miller.And I stress I'm not wearing any 'colours' when posting this, I haven't voted in over 15 years.

Adam Beamish ● 4268d

Emanuele, "The law does not allow residents managed by Housing Association to take control of the management." Yes. That is correct. But the law still gives you a cause of action in contract (breaches of contractual duty) and one can apply for an order for specific performance etc. It may also be arguable that the Housing Association is a public authority under the test set out in the Datafin case and a Judicial Review might be an option. This is all costly, of course, but it may be worth fishing around for a firm of solicitors willing to come to a no-win, no fee arrangement. That might be one way of knocking some heads together.

Fadi Farhat ● 4268d

"If Ruth Cadbury can overcome the shackles of the bad side of the local Labour group and stay focused as a solid constituency representative and deal with the real issues..." If indeed! Presumably, she's had since 1986 (when she first became a councillor) to overcome the shackles and distance herself from the bad side of the local Labour group. Okay, as a councillor, one's role is more confined than that of an MP but I wouldn't count on miracles being performed by any Labour MP.Mary McLeod has had a decent, proactive run since 2010 in her first term in office when assessed in the round. We can all agree to disagree on certain issues (such is life) but overall, and as far as MPs go, she has been excellent given the amount of causes, events and the like that she has been involved in across the constituency.

Fadi Farhat ● 4268d

Hi Alanin GWQ just the blocks managed by A2Dominion are suffering. The others are private and managed by Barratt (the developers) and no relevant issues are reported by residents there. It is so clear that in the same development there is a huge difference in the living condition depending on the managing agent. The private residents can indeed appoint a new managing agent; the blocks managed by A2D do not have this right. This is wrong and unfair. Politicians are to be blamed for this.

Emanuele Sozzi ● 4272d

Thanks for the clarification. That is bad. So does that mean all the blocks in GWQ are affected in the same way - or just some (the ones run by the housing association)? Or does it mean some blocks can appoint a new managing agent?

Alan Clark ● 4272d

All of this confirms my suspicion that Brentford has fallen victim to massive over-development of poorly built, high-rise, high-density, low-quality housing that benefits only the developers and is concerned not a jot about people's living standards. Shame on all the politicians - local and national - who have allowed this to happen.

Katy Whelan ● 4272d

Hi DaveSo far Ruth Cadbury has shown great interest and support for GWQ. She came on site a couple of times and met A2D and residentsTogether with Mary Macleod. Unfortunately no real progress has been made by A2D and we stillExperience appalling service from them and total lack of professionalism.I would be happy to show around our issues to anyone interested to see with their own eyes. The GWQ side "managed" by A2D is just a nice box with so much issues hidden inside....

Emanuele Sozzi ● 4275d

Hi Alanwe already have a residents' association.Unfortunately the set-up here does not allow residents to kck out A2 Dominion and acquire the right to manage. The law does not allow residents managed by Housing Association to take control of the management. We have asked Mary so many times to support our case and have Barratt managing company (who is already managing the majority of GWQ) to take over but it looks impossible. A2D residents do notHave any right and even if A2D has provedTo be incompetent there is nothing we can do for having A/D out

Emanuele Sozzi ● 4275d

It seems to me that it would be very sensible for the GWQ residents to form a residents' association. It is interesting to see that this thread has been resurrected a few days before the Borough Elections.I wonder what do the council candidates for Brentford have to say ?

David Giles ● 4276d

Why can't the existing residents at GWQ get together to take control away from the managing agent? Is there some aspect of the management set up for GWQ that is different from other developments - where the best solution is often to establish a residents association? Or is it simply that its not yet possible (the final properties are not yet sold or similar constraint)?

Alan Clark ● 4277d

Sadly we have yet another brown noser trying to climb the westmnster village tower. Fickle and only interested in easy options.Clearly more interested in a career in politics that being a genuine effective constituency MP which is what this and other Hounslow constituencies badly need.If Ruth Cadbury can overcome the shackles of the bad side of the local Labour gruop and stay focused as a solid constituency representative and deal with the real issues that have been somewhat buried by the endless inter party sniping,Then maybe we may have a candidate worth voting for

Anthony Waller ● 4277d

"Mary Macleod is a very effective local MP."She's been very ineffective with regards to Mogden. This is generally recognised by all that live near the site.

Andrew Sibley ● 4277d

Unfortunately MAry did not invite residents (or a representative) to the meeting. A2 Dominion have been able to get away UNCHALLENGED with false and misleading info.

Emanuele Sozzi ● 4277d

Mary Macleod is a very effective local MP.  This is generally recognised by people of all political views and none.

David Giles ● 4393d

Amazing, You read it on this forum first.I wrote some weeks ago about the appalling antics of A2 Dominion, an organisation that receives a lot of taxpayer funding from both government and particularly the boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow.And it makes one wonder how cosy it's relationship is with certain Hounslow councillors and one or two local MPs.Mary Macloud manages to raise issues with them within weeks and yet Seema Mahotra MP has allegedly been in discussions with the said organisation for some months about poor housekeeping standards and got absolutely nowhere.Maybe both of them should set aside party colours and unify for the greater good and demand that these organisations be opened up to public scrutiny via freedom of information access.Maybe then, an example can be set and fair paying tenants start getting  treated like people of value instead of "people of little significance" to quote an A2 Dominion executive.

Anthony Waller ● 4397d

How nice of them. Not covering them should be an offence imo.

Keith Iddon ● 4402d

Shareholders don't want to spend the money, and b******s to the neighbours.  Our political representatives apparently take the same view.

Phil Andrews ● 4402d

Right. Do you know why the site owner would not want to do this? A matter of expense I suppose.

Keith Iddon ● 4402d

You cover the storm tanks.  Or if you are a Conservative or Labour councillor on LBH you give the site owner special permission not to.

Phil Andrews ● 4402d

I am being naïve I know but how do you stop a sewage farm from stinking?

Keith Iddon ● 4402d

Ok John, I'll bite.  All credit to Mary for raising these concerns so vigorously on behalf of her constituents in the Great West Quarter.  But some of us will inevitably wonder why she considers it unacceptable that a hundred or so residents in Brentford should suffer sewage stench for a few weeks, but less so tens of thousands of her fellow constituents a few miles up the road enduring it for decades.

Phil Andrews ● 4402d