Kirkby Times reported on a leaflet delivered to all tenants of Oak Tower and Cedar Tower on Mon 24th February 2003. The leaflet was written by a tenant to try to get tenants to stick together so as to be able to have a say in our future. Regular visitors to the website will have read about the ongoing situation where tenants are living in appalling conditions which Knowsley Housing Trust have helped get worse. You can read the text of the leaflet delivered here (a Microsoft word document)

The following day, Tues 25th, KHT rushed out there own letter with a questioner attached. The letter was sneakily backdated to February the 10th, giving the impression that KHT's letter was issued before the tenants leaflet. It's an old political trick and KHT have been caught with there pants down here. I suppose they will say the letter was waiting around for 2 weeks. In truth, KHT have simply tried to save face here and STOP tenants from organising.

Here is the Full text of the letter delivered by KHT on the 25th Feb.

Dear Resident

Oak Tower/Cedar Tower

10/02/2003

In recent weeks there have been a number of concerns regarding the future of the blocks in Roughwood Drive. As you are probably aware, both multi storey blocks (Larch and maple) have been declared surplus. In short this means that residents will be offered alternative accommodation in readiness for the future demolition of these blocks.

In view of the ongoing acts of vandalism going on in within Oak Towers and Cedar Towers, I would be grateful if you could complete the short questioner to help us form an opinion on the future of these blocks.

Therefore I would be thankful if you would complete the attached form and return it to the Tower Hill Area Housing Office within the next seven days.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information in respect of this matter.

Yours Faithfully

Kevin Wywne

Tower Hill/Northwood Housing Officer

0151 290 7425



The questioner is indeed short, and if KHT actually had 15 days to come up with 4 dodgy questions, then they are taking the Mickey. Here's the questions asked….

1 How long have you lived in the Block? (Check your records, what a stupid question)

2 Are you experiencing acts of anti social behavior?

3 Are you prepared to move to another Block?

4 If so define which area of preference.

Some tenants may have a right to any houses built once flats are demolished.

This questioner looks like it's been drew up in 5 minutes flat. There was no envelope to return the questioner either. More penny pinching. It is also an attempt to get tenants to move without KHT offering Homeloss allowances. The state of the Blocks is such that many tenant's feel they are entitled to this money and many feel that the conditions they have been forced to endure also need to be compensated for. Also, some residents believe that there are likely to be houses built on the land which our Blocks currently occupy. Some residents should be entitled to be given first option on any houses which are to be built. We wish to be involved in whatever plans there are and included in any plans to build a housing estate where the flats are now situated. KHT conveniently brush over all this, hoping tenants are too soft to work out what's happening. Other people in Liverpool have fought to remain living in there areas and for affordable rented accommodation to be built in place of demolished homes. Doubtless, Knowsley Council or the housing Trust will look to sell off the land to private contractors. The usual 'deals' will be done if we let them let away with it.

There are some vulnerable tenants left in the Blocks, including single mums with young children plus several older folk who have to endure the conditions until KHT decide what they are going to do. A lot of vital repairs have been put on hold for 7 months and although the Tower is amongst the worse accommodation the program of repairs promised by KHT has not, so far, even been mentioned to tenants let alone carried out.

Kirkby Times will continue to monitor the situation. Tenants are seeking legal advice, but no Kirkby Solicitors have so far been able to help. Hopefully a solicitor will soon take on board any tenants here wishing to pursue a legal claim. Finding a good solicitor is difficult, most of them are just interested in accident claims with no win no fee. However, there's a few on Merseyside who specialise in housing, lets hope we get a good one.

KHT have still refused to apologise to a tenant injured by a junkie's needle. Legal advice is being taken there. Seems like a lot of people are looking to sue KHT. We warned this would happen, and even tried to prompt KHT to carry out vital repairs and secure the Blocks. They never listened, but they WILL listen when the solicitor's letters start dropping through the letter box.



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