Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Ongoing communication with GHA
Dear Stephen McAvoy,
Thank you for your prompt response on this occasion.
Welcoming your commitment to ensuring that our posters will be put up
in future, we would like clarification on what you mean by requesting
that you see the content of the Tenants' Association notices before
they are put up as we do not believe this to be the case with posters
for other groups publicity that are put up on the notice boards in the
high rise foyers.
We do not feel that it is an accurate representation of events to
state that we have not wished to enter into dialogue with yourselves.
Indeed our previous representations requesting a meeting were not
responded to, nor our letters on specific issues. We would welcome
dialogue between our organisations for the benefit of tenants and
residents in Cedar St/Court.
We would like to move forward to setting a time and date some time
early in the new year for a meeting with yourself in order to discuss
matters affecting residents in the Cedar Street/Court area further. We
propose the Woodside Halls, some evening in the last week in January
as a suitable arrangement. Please can you confirm your availability at
that time, or suggest an alternative timeframe.
Yours faithfully,
The Secretary (Cedar Tenants Association)
On 12/14/05, McAvoy, Stephen wrote:
> to secretary cedar group,
> GHA have no objection to posters, as assisting you put them up in
past has demonstrated. would like to see content before it goes up and you
have been advised to that effect.
> please also ensure senior concierge are aware of your intention to
put posters up, as this has not always been the case.
> I also think it best we agree number of posters, best locations i.e.
notice boards and that concierge put posters up.
> other than that I have no problems with poster and we will give you
every assistance.
> if there has been a mis understanding on this occasion with concierge
then please accept our apology. if necessary I'll resolve problem of
mis understanding with concierge to ensure no repeat.
> I believe GHA have given your organisation as much support as we can
including attempting to support role and development of your group. I
believe this is not assisted by your decision not to enter into dialogue
with GHA and I ask that you as a group reconsider that decision. GHA
would very much welcome the chance to discuss cedar with your group.
> I have explained the H&S and operational difficulty we currently have
allowing part of the concierge work area to be used for meetings. we
have however offered our support to arrange and if wished meet you at any
other local location of which there are many.
> as explained to residents from cedar, GHA will under certain
conditions provide resources to support organisations like yourself.
> I presume the common area problem you refer to is drying area ? if so
as part of GHA's continued and extensive investment plans for cedar
this problem is being addressed. if not please specify problem to
concierge.
> is this not an example of some of the issues jointly we could resolve
?
> I would again re state I am happy to meet to discuss cedar and you
can contact me either by email as you have done, by telephone tel 945
3003 or via concierge.
> GHA has an official complaint policy that I would be happy to send
if you let me know who and where to send it to. alternatively it can be
accessed via GHA website.
> we make no attempt to restrict your organisation in fact we can
demonstrate our attempts to encourage and develop a tenants group in cedar
including arranging public meeting, personal meetings to offer training
and organisational support. our forthcoming newsletter contains a
specific request to encourage a tenant group in the cedar area.
> if there is anything other than trying to support development of your
organisation as offered, assisting arrange public meetings, promoting
interest via newsletters, displaying posters we can offer then please
let me know. thanks
Thank you for your prompt response on this occasion.
Welcoming your commitment to ensuring that our posters will be put up
in future, we would like clarification on what you mean by requesting
that you see the content of the Tenants' Association notices before
they are put up as we do not believe this to be the case with posters
for other groups publicity that are put up on the notice boards in the
high rise foyers.
We do not feel that it is an accurate representation of events to
state that we have not wished to enter into dialogue with yourselves.
Indeed our previous representations requesting a meeting were not
responded to, nor our letters on specific issues. We would welcome
dialogue between our organisations for the benefit of tenants and
residents in Cedar St/Court.
We would like to move forward to setting a time and date some time
early in the new year for a meeting with yourself in order to discuss
matters affecting residents in the Cedar Street/Court area further. We
propose the Woodside Halls, some evening in the last week in January
as a suitable arrangement. Please can you confirm your availability at
that time, or suggest an alternative timeframe.
Yours faithfully,
The Secretary (Cedar Tenants Association)
On 12/14/05, McAvoy, Stephen
> to secretary cedar group,
> GHA have no objection to posters, as assisting you put them up in
past has demonstrated. would like to see content before it goes up and you
have been advised to that effect.
> please also ensure senior concierge are aware of your intention to
put posters up, as this has not always been the case.
> I also think it best we agree number of posters, best locations i.e.
notice boards and that concierge put posters up.
> other than that I have no problems with poster and we will give you
every assistance.
> if there has been a mis understanding on this occasion with concierge
then please accept our apology. if necessary I'll resolve problem of
mis understanding with concierge to ensure no repeat.
> I believe GHA have given your organisation as much support as we can
including attempting to support role and development of your group. I
believe this is not assisted by your decision not to enter into dialogue
with GHA and I ask that you as a group reconsider that decision. GHA
would very much welcome the chance to discuss cedar with your group.
> I have explained the H&S and operational difficulty we currently have
allowing part of the concierge work area to be used for meetings. we
have however offered our support to arrange and if wished meet you at any
other local location of which there are many.
> as explained to residents from cedar, GHA will under certain
conditions provide resources to support organisations like yourself.
> I presume the common area problem you refer to is drying area ? if so
as part of GHA's continued and extensive investment plans for cedar
this problem is being addressed. if not please specify problem to
concierge.
> is this not an example of some of the issues jointly we could resolve
?
> I would again re state I am happy to meet to discuss cedar and you
can contact me either by email as you have done, by telephone tel 945
3003 or via concierge.
> GHA has an official complaint policy that I would be happy to send
if you let me know who and where to send it to. alternatively it can be
accessed via GHA website.
> we make no attempt to restrict your organisation in fact we can
demonstrate our attempts to encourage and develop a tenants group in cedar
including arranging public meeting, personal meetings to offer training
and organisational support. our forthcoming newsletter contains a
specific request to encourage a tenant group in the cedar area.
> if there is anything other than trying to support development of your
organisation as offered, assisting arrange public meetings, promoting
interest via newsletters, displaying posters we can offer then please
let me know. thanks
Comment from a long standing resident
This was posted as a comment on a previous post, but it is important so I am reposting it here, as a top level post.
"i think for an area such as cedar court having more than 300 families within the 3 blocks, that some sort of social recreation centre should have been built instead of a so called bowling green no one uses, except those who walk their dogs they aint meant to have living in the flats. people talk of teenagers and crime rates in this community , but what is there for kids to do? there is a small wall for them to gather on and drink their bucky and there is always the backstairs for them to drink and smoke on when its raining and cold, of yes and there is always a climbing frame if they get bored.........come on cedar tennants lets get out there and fight for the future of these flats and get the community spirit back into this area. i have lived in this area all my life and i am ashamed to bring visitors to my house because of the state of the area. places like easterhouse, drumchapel and possil have all received a face life making it look better, if this happened here then maybe people would take pride in where they lived and the youngsters would have something to do rather than commiting crime in this run down pathetic area."
"i think for an area such as cedar court having more than 300 families within the 3 blocks, that some sort of social recreation centre should have been built instead of a so called bowling green no one uses, except those who walk their dogs they aint meant to have living in the flats. people talk of teenagers and crime rates in this community , but what is there for kids to do? there is a small wall for them to gather on and drink their bucky and there is always the backstairs for them to drink and smoke on when its raining and cold, of yes and there is always a climbing frame if they get bored.........come on cedar tennants lets get out there and fight for the future of these flats and get the community spirit back into this area. i have lived in this area all my life and i am ashamed to bring visitors to my house because of the state of the area. places like easterhouse, drumchapel and possil have all received a face life making it look better, if this happened here then maybe people would take pride in where they lived and the youngsters would have something to do rather than commiting crime in this run down pathetic area."
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Official Complaint Regarding Posters
Dear Stephen McAvoy,
I am writing to you to make an official complaint regarding Cedar Tenants Association being prevented from using noticeboards located in each of the three tower blocks in Cedar Court. A copy of this email (and subsequent letter) is being sent to both the MSP and councillor for this area also.
Since our inception as a tenants association in July this year, and prior to this point throughout June, we have sporadically been prevented from using facilities set aside for tenants, including the meeting room, and noticeboards, but latterly it had seemed as if GHA had become more reasonable in allowing us to pursue at least some of
the activities that we should expect to be able to. However the period covering the past few months saw the head concierge systematically taking posters advertising our meeting down in October, after the concierge failed to put up posters in the noticeboards; senior concierge Frank Quinn had personally received these posters
some weeks prior to the meeting. The justification given for the removal of these posters (located in closes) which was given was that these posters were a fire hazard, an implausible pretext given that rubbish is still lying in neglected common areas (as it has for years)within the flats and GHA does absolutely nothing to address this.
We do not understand why this happened and would like an explanation.
Notwithstanding that we were much heartened to see our posters go up (somewhat late, but they went up) in the run up to our November meeting, and we had hoped that in future we might be able to publicise our meetings unhindered. We were much annoyed then when not one, but two separate sets of posters handed into the concierge failed to go up, over a period of several weeks, which saw members of the association continually ask the concierge senior to put the posters up. Obviously this fell on deaf ears.
On one or two occasions it would be possible to pass such events off as accidents, absent-mindedness or something similar but what we have experienced seems to be more the result of a deliberate policy to prevent Cedar Tenants Association from growing and broadening its membership. We would therefore remind you of your commitments to
tenant participation and point you towards GHA's own tenant participation strategy. We would further advise you that the STO are taking these matters into consideration and we are seeking advice on how to take this matter further.
Yours faithfully,
The Secretary (Cedar Tenants Association)
I am writing to you to make an official complaint regarding Cedar Tenants Association being prevented from using noticeboards located in each of the three tower blocks in Cedar Court. A copy of this email (and subsequent letter) is being sent to both the MSP and councillor for this area also.
Since our inception as a tenants association in July this year, and prior to this point throughout June, we have sporadically been prevented from using facilities set aside for tenants, including the meeting room, and noticeboards, but latterly it had seemed as if GHA had become more reasonable in allowing us to pursue at least some of
the activities that we should expect to be able to. However the period covering the past few months saw the head concierge systematically taking posters advertising our meeting down in October, after the concierge failed to put up posters in the noticeboards; senior concierge Frank Quinn had personally received these posters
some weeks prior to the meeting. The justification given for the removal of these posters (located in closes) which was given was that these posters were a fire hazard, an implausible pretext given that rubbish is still lying in neglected common areas (as it has for years)within the flats and GHA does absolutely nothing to address this.
We do not understand why this happened and would like an explanation.
Notwithstanding that we were much heartened to see our posters go up (somewhat late, but they went up) in the run up to our November meeting, and we had hoped that in future we might be able to publicise our meetings unhindered. We were much annoyed then when not one, but two separate sets of posters handed into the concierge failed to go up, over a period of several weeks, which saw members of the association continually ask the concierge senior to put the posters up. Obviously this fell on deaf ears.
On one or two occasions it would be possible to pass such events off as accidents, absent-mindedness or something similar but what we have experienced seems to be more the result of a deliberate policy to prevent Cedar Tenants Association from growing and broadening its membership. We would therefore remind you of your commitments to
tenant participation and point you towards GHA's own tenant participation strategy. We would further advise you that the STO are taking these matters into consideration and we are seeking advice on how to take this matter further.
Yours faithfully,
The Secretary (Cedar Tenants Association)
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Further barriers to tenant participation
"This is your city. These are your homes. [The GHA] is your organisation."
[Foreword to the GHA's tenant participation strategy document]
Well if the Chairman of GHA is correct then he should explain why it is that despite two separate sets of posters handed into the concierge for them to put up in the nnotice boards of our blocks advertizing our meeting, given to the concierge 4 weeks and one week before the meeting did not result in them being put up, despite constant reminders from members of the association to put them up. Obviously this was not an isolated incident, or a result of incompetence from the concierge because it has happened on so many occasions. Other organisations can put up their publicity inviting tenants to come along to their events and meetings without any problem. Apparently for an independent tenants association like Cedar TA the situation is different.
Is the GHA doing all it can to promote tenant participation when Cedar Tenants Association is being effectively barred from access to facilities that are supposed to 'belong' to tenants?
Perhaps what is most annoying however is the casual disregard in which we are held. Nobody from the GHA would ever openly admit that the posters continue not to put up because they concern the tenants association. They are always graciuously accepted, and then presumably quickly thrown in the bin.
[Foreword to the GHA's tenant participation strategy document]
Well if the Chairman of GHA is correct then he should explain why it is that despite two separate sets of posters handed into the concierge for them to put up in the nnotice boards of our blocks advertizing our meeting, given to the concierge 4 weeks and one week before the meeting did not result in them being put up, despite constant reminders from members of the association to put them up. Obviously this was not an isolated incident, or a result of incompetence from the concierge because it has happened on so many occasions. Other organisations can put up their publicity inviting tenants to come along to their events and meetings without any problem. Apparently for an independent tenants association like Cedar TA the situation is different.
Is the GHA doing all it can to promote tenant participation when Cedar Tenants Association is being effectively barred from access to facilities that are supposed to 'belong' to tenants?
Perhaps what is most annoying however is the casual disregard in which we are held. Nobody from the GHA would ever openly admit that the posters continue not to put up because they concern the tenants association. They are always graciuously accepted, and then presumably quickly thrown in the bin.
