Have communities REALLY had a say in policy making and decision making?

I think NOT!

http://www.northern-consortium.org.uk/Page/NewsArticle.aspx?ArticleId=690
(undated on page 11th July 2010)
EXTRACT

Northern Housing Consortium News
Northern Housing Consortium Response to Emergency Budget

"The Northern Housing Consortium will be co-ordinating a submission to the Spending Review on behalf of our Members; we are very keen to engage with our members to shape our submission. In the coming weeks we will be requesting information upon examples of:

Effective localism where communities have had a stronger role to play in policy making and decision making improved and/or better transparent use of information
Examples of real community engagement and better and effective engagement with the third sector
Areas where you have made significant budget savings without compromising quality of service"

New Charter Housing Trust are a member of this consortium.

I sincerely hope they are not 'engaged' to "shape 'their' submission", for in Tameside there is no "effective localism" where communities have a say in "policy making and decision making". In fact, New Charter does the very opposite acting to remove any such input through tenant exclusion and lack of information. When a tenant really does want to get involved in such activities and where New Charter are unable to control them they evict them from the process! I know this for a fact and I am not alone in being on the receiving end of such forms of tenant exclusion by this authoritarian landlord! It is probably the case that I am the most excluded! Perhaps this in itself is a badge of honour!

New Charter may very well be able to 'demonstrate' such inclusive practices by reference to their vetted and long-standing 'nodding donkey' tenants and Tenant Directors. They are very few but even so receive most attention by New Charter! Most tenants that become involved do so as lambs to the slaughter. If they cannot be convinced, or should I say coerced, they are 'sidelined', and if persistent they are evicted! Democracy, what democracy!

Love, Light and Laughter

Starlord