Becky Middleton and Louisa Clarence-Smith have proved themselves to be very good friends to our communities in Wimbledon and Merton.
Their work as journalists on this newspaper have helped to ensure that 10 extra local police officers have recently been recruited into Merton, and there is no doubt that their fine articles are a major reason why St Helier was saved from destruction.
In the context of which, let us remind ourselves that more than 500 lives have been saved in their M2 (maternity) ward in the last four years. 500 extra children brought into our world because that hospital was protected.
I don't do flattery. But that is a very fine achievement.
So I was not surprised to read Councillor Andrew Judge's letter (It is time to come clean on the cost of repair services, September 11) in which he explained his concern upon reading the recent fine report in the Wimbledon Guardian about the dreadful way that many local CHMP tenants have apparently been treated (Taken to the cleaners, September 4).
The allegation, that a private repairs company has been grossly overcharging Circle Housing Merton Priory (CHMP), causing huge misery to tenants and leaseholders, is a horrendously serious matter indeed. Obviously Merton's previous Conservative administration were in such an insane rush to privatise everything in sight that they didn't bother to put safeguards in place to protect the residents of the estates being dumped into the wallets of private investors.
Or ensure that quality repair services were available at reasonable prices. How utterly typical of the Tories.
They don't care about families, only the profit margins of huge multinational corporations. And they didn't even get that right.
Their privatisation projects in Merton and Wimbledon were a colossal financial disaster that cost vast amounts of your tax-payers money. And achieved a more expensive system. As I said, insane.
Councillor Andrew Judge is right to demand that Circle Housing initiate an immediate independent audit into the repairs contract, in regard to these serious allegations of overcharging.
Which have only come to public attention as a result of a detailed investigation carried out by this very fine newspaper.
Michael Barltrop
Via email
- Send your letters to: letters@wimbledonguardian.co.uk
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