Town and Country Housing Association

Town and Country Housing Association (TCHA) features three times in this week's edition of The Courier.


I declare an interest. I was a member of the board of High Weald Housing Association (as TCHA was known then) in the 1990's as a nominee of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. It was during this time that the association acquired former army properties in Dover.

The first story concerns the future of the Age Concern building in Tunbridge Wells. Two issues are conflated in this story: the continuation of revenue funding by local authorities and the future of the premises in Wood Street. The article suggests that the future of the Age Concern premises rests with TCHA and it finding an appropriate building for Age Concern to continue its operations. The building is owned by TWBC, but its future is tied in with plans by TCHA to sell adjacent properties. Is all this something to do with land assembly? What is the role of the development company jointly owned by TWBC and Laing? My advice to Age Concern is to sit tight. It has seven years to run on its lease.

The second story is about TCHA securing an agreement with Skinners' Kent Academy to ask prying personal questions to pupils through a questionnaire prepared by the association and disseminated by the academy. It took the intervention of a county councillor to stop this nonsense. As a borough councillor stated, what were TCHA going to do with the information?

The third story relates to a matter I have discussed on this blog previously. TCHA is preparing major plans for Sherwood which it is understood will include building on allotments and green spaces, demolishing homes and a new road. Documents had been given by TCHA to the Council and in particular to borough councillors for Sherwood on a confidential basis. Two of the councillors then proceeded to publicise the proposals through leaflets distributed to residents.

The two councillors have been hauled in front of TWBC's Chief Executive and in the words of one councillor slapped on the wrists.

Now, here we are in the brave new world of localism, citizen engagement and civic participation. But what does the Chief Executive have to say? According to The Courier, the following:

The Sherwood Vision is still a work in progress and subject to discussions between Town and County Housing Association and the Borough Council. It would be inappropriate to consult on proposals before they are finalised or to comment on them.

Frankly, this is Grade A bullshit. The Sherwood Vision is about major regeneration of the estate. Many residents on the estate are not tenants of TCHA, but are owner-occupiers. They have every right to know what is being dreamt up by the cosy housing association/council relationship.

A few years ago I was critical of the way Tunbridge Wells Borough Council was approaching its responsibility to produce a community strategy/plan for Tunbridge Wells. For my troubles I became chair of an independent group which developed the community plan.

The DETR guidance on community plans stated:

If community strategies are to respond to public concerns, there needs to be genuine engagement with the beginning of the process. It is important that community planning allows communities to be fully involved in establishing both the long-term vision and the shorter term priorities for action. It would not be enough simply to consult communities on a range of options determined by the authority and its partner organisations. Attention should be given at an early stage to ensuring all sections of the community have the opportunity to participate. (The emphasis is mine.)

Sound guidance then which is just as pertinent and relevant today when participation, engagement and localism are the new ways of conducting affairs.