Board ditches councillor in dispute

20 November 2009

A COUNCILLOR has been thrown off the management board of a local housing association for trying to protect "vulnerable residents", he claims.

Independent Local Residents' Group (ILRG) councillor for South Hornchurch ward, Michael Deon-Burton, was told last week his position on the Mardyke Neighbourhood Management Board for Old Ford Housing Association (OFHA) had been "rescinded".

Cllr Deon-Burton, had been carrying out his own survey in relation to OFHA proposals to replace gas cookers with electric (which he said will cost residents more money) because he said they had not been properly consulted.

He said: "I will not be silenced and intend to finish collecting the questionnaire of residents' wishes, no matter what intimidation or obstacles are thrown in my way."

A spokesman for OFHA at first denied Cllr Deon-Burton had been removed, but Cllr Deon-Burton had proof in a letter signed by managing director June Morton.

The letter, dated Friday October 23, surfaced in Cllr Deon-Burton's mailbox on Tuesday November 3 - ironically the day before he was due to appear at Romford County Court over a separate issue regarding a claim against OFHA for the refund of service charges because he claims the services "did not exist".

The letter said Cllr Deon-Burton's removal from the board was because of this dispute and because OFHA had been obliged to take rent arrears action, (arrears which the court found Cllr Deon-Burton did not owe).

The letter read: "..you are in breach of your tenancy, and you have failed to comply with the Terms of Reference of the Neighbourhood Management Board and therefore I am formally writing to the London Borough of Havering to advise that we are no longer able to accept your nomination to the Neighbourhood Management Board and your membership has been rescinded."

At the county court hearing last week, two judgements in favour of Cllr Deon-Burton's claim (one served on OFHA, the other on its parent company Circle Anglia) were set aside because of irregularities in the wording and a new judgement was served on OFHA alone.

Whether or not the services (including a CCTV intercom system and TV aerial) were working is what the court must now decide and both parties have been told to file statements ready for a hearing in January.

But a spokesperson for OFHA said it was hopeful the claim could be resolved through mediation.

If Cllr Deon-Burton's claim, for £480 paid over 156 weeks, was upheld he said "the ramifications would be unbelievable" because it would set a precedent for other OFHA tenants on the estate to claim back money for service charges.

Leader of the ILRG Cllr Jeffrey Tucker, who nominated Cllr Deon-Burton for his position on the OFHA board, said: "I believe the main reason that they want him off the board is because he's speaking out on behalf of residents."

Cllr Deon-Burton said: "As long as I'm on the board I'm better able to fight for what is of benefit to the residents."

A spokesperson for OFHA confirmed last week that Cllr Deon-Burton was no longer a member of the Neighbourhood Management Board.