The Kensington & Chelsea TMO has responsibility for the safekeeping of a vast number of resident owned assets, yet this curious reply to a FOI indicates oversight is minimal, or non-existent.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST REF: 2016-0977
I am responding to your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which we received on 4 August 2016, for information held by the Council. You requested:
1. The total number of KCTMO members at each Annual KCTMO AGM for the past 10 years? 2. The total number of votes cast at each Annual KCTMO AGM for the past 10 years?
3. The total cost to transport KCTMO members and residents to the Annual KCTMO AGM for each AGM for the past 10 years?
4. The total number KCTMO members and residents who have been transported by means paid for by the KCTMO to each AGM for the past 10 years?
5. The total number KCTMO votes cast in favour of Robert Black since he has been CEO of KCTMO at each AGM where he has been up for election?
6. Please disclose the procedure and qualifications for applying for funding to transport people to the AGM from TMO properties?
The Council do not hold the information requested.
KCTMO as a company is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act on its internal operation, AGM or member matters, it is only subject to the legislation in relation to information held on behalf of RBKC (which generally relates to housing matters - and this request does not fall into that category of matter).
This is outrageous !!!!
ReplyDeleteThe TMO is not subject to The Feedom of Information Act ?
It is a publicly funded organisation.
We all pay for it !!
The K&C TMO is too big. The Council was seduced by "economies of scale" arguments when setting up the biggest TMO in the country. The Cabinet gave too little weight to the fact that organisations like this are delivering a very personal and sensitive service. The TMO needs to "be in touch" with residents, with short lines of communication, and tuned in to the different situations of individual blocks and their particular needs. I doubt if there is an "average" block or a "typical" profile.
ReplyDeleteThe K&C TMO needs to be restructured into smaller units. In this case, small is definitely beautiful. The management jargon is "think big, act small".
Ultimately this is a failure of Leadership in Hornton Street. Cllr Paget-Brown and his Cabinet need to be inspired more by a caring approach and less by bureaucratic box ticking
Recent email sent to RBKC Councillor:
ReplyDeleteDear Cllr .....
Please note that TMO has never stated that it does not respond to Freedom of Information enquiries as it is not a public body. In my presentation to the Board and in the access to information policy for the company, we state that KCTMO has a responsibility to address any freedom of information requests in respect of its activities as a management agent of RBKC. It is indeed not a public body but it has a contractual obligation to address any FOIA requests where it relates to a service provided on behalf of RBKC.
Many thanks
Mrs Fola Kafidiya-Oke FCIS
Head of Governance & Company Secretary
The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
Tenant Management Organisation Limited
t: 020 7605 6399
Indeed, Annon 09.19 is true. This episode shows that there are individuals who are not quite sure where their hands are...it has always been a mess and will remain so until P-B takes a proactive approach and reorganises his Goliah
ReplyDeleteMrs Fola Kafidiya-Oke does not address the issue she just skirts around it. The TMO is providing services on behalf of RBKC it is not setup for anything else therefore it should be subject to the the Freedom of Information Act. A Freedom of Information request to RBKC for a copy of the contract they have with the TMO would prove interesting, RBKC would probably argue commercial sensitivity, it would be hard to argue commercial sensitivity where a contract is a number of years old. Getting hold of this contract would confirm if everything we hear about the TMO is justified or if RBKC are screwing them.
ReplyDeleteThe TMO and its structure has never offered economies of scale. The TMO had to appoint its own Director of Finance when the Council already had one in post, it also had to appoint a Company Secretary, a post unknown in any Local Authority. The TMO also created jobs for the boys when it created a Director of Assets and Regeneration, a Director of Operations, a Director of Customer Service, a Director of People and Organisation and a Policy and Business Improvement Manager. None of these posts existed in the RBKC Housing Department when the Council ran the service in house. The Council had a Director of Housing, a Deputy Director of Housing, a Head of Maintenance, Housing Officers and Housing Assistants and that was about the size of it.
ReplyDeleteThe TMO's Head of Governance is correct when she says that the ambit of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not require the Tenant Management Organisation to disclose the information requested about Company business.
ReplyDeleteNow for the sting in the tail. We have all been told, far too often, that the TMO is a democratic and participatory Organisation. Irrespective of any legislative provisions that the TMO's Head of Governance prays in aid for not disclosing information, the interests of openness, transparency, accountability and democratic participation demand that the information must be provided.
What does the TMO Head of Governance have to hide by making a decision which thwarts democratic participation in the Company. She really ought to think again and give practical expression to democratic participation by providing the information requested.
Shane,
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you why Folasade is reluctant to provide information about the KCTMO to one of its members. She knows that the TMO will fold, like a piece of paper, if an EGM gets off the ground.
Would any properly run business want a Company Secretary who worked in a company that was brought down by its members because it does its job so badly.?
I doubt it. Folasade is not going to give information that puts her £ 50, 000 plus salary package on the line.
More evidence of this unethical and ghastly housing organisation.
ReplyDeleteTMO Management are rotten to the core. Fola do the right thing and provide the information that you were asked to provide.
ReplyDeleteThe TMO only allows tenant participation if those who participate do not step on the toes of Robert Black, his managers who would never get a job anywhere else, and Tory Councillors who only care about property developers getting rich.
ReplyDeleteFola is leaving they say.
ReplyDelete23.12 Sensible girl, she knows there is no future at the TMO. I suppose Robert Black will make sure that the next one to do her job protects the TMO
DeleteHas anyone heard them say Black, Brown, Maddison, Jevans and Birch are also leaving?
DeleteWouldn't it be good if Captain Black and his band were cleared out.
DeleteIt was last cleared out of top brass after Perry save for Liam Good and Black got rid of him.
Clearing out the top brass is overdue. It is time that the incompetent Housing Officers, Technical Staff and Administrative Workers were competency tested and cleared out. I am sure some of them are illiterate.
DeleteIt would be good if the TMO was cleared out of all the dross who pretend they work for tenants.
DeleteAre you saying TMO needs a new gang 11:05?
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6b70TUbdfs
Forgot to add a transcription.
Delete"You should thank us (TMO) and treat us with great respect and honour for having robbed you on your behalf for your own good in order to serve you, by doing thing you don't want us to do."
What a statement is that!? *applause* anyone?
HAS ANYONE HAD SIGHT OF COUNCILLOR PAGET-BROWN'S LEADERS MANIFESTO?
ReplyDeleteLink below shows the manifesto of Councillor Cockell.
Leaders manifesto - Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwiy9sCqib_OAhWqD8AKHXjkBxkQFggcMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rbkc.gov.uk%2Fidoc.ashx%3Fdocid%3Dbf18a570-dbba-4541-9d68-259195427625%26version%3D-1&usg=AFQjCNHoQM0Tbhpq09_OYLsAAaAk4IPs7w&sig2=WZ0kpq-nVG_eoMVQrMJkUg&bvm=bv.129422649,d.ZGg
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
ReplyDeleteRock Feilding-Mellen
Rock Feilding-Mellen
Director of Socially Conscious Capital Ltd
London, United KingdomReal Estate
Current
Socially Conscious Capital Ltd, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Previous
Alro Group Ltd
Education
London School of Economics and Political Science
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connectionsConnectSend Rock InMailMore options
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rock-feilding-mellen-2457551
Contact Info
Background
Experience
Managing Director
Socially Conscious Capital Ltd
2009 – Present (7 years)London, United Kingdom
I am the MD of Socially Conscious Capital Ltd, which means that I have overall responsibility for the growth of the company, as well as overseeing all our strategic land promotion projects and our investor relations.
Deputy Leader
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
May 2006 – Present (10 years 4 months)London, United Kingdom
I am the Deputy Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Housing, Property, and Regeneration.
Director
Alro Group Ltd
December 2003 – January 2009 (5 years 2 months)London, United Kingdom
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... or not as the case may be. "Fundraising" refers to offering land and/or buildings to property speculators; building homes for sale to absentee foreign investors, letting Council properties to private organisations that can pay top rates. He would not last five minutes running a community charity that has to raise all its own money.
DeleteDear Dame,
DeleteDid Cockell make Feilding Mellen Deputy Leader?
No - it was a deal done with Paget-Brown to stop Daniel Moylan becoming Leader.
DeletePublic speaking? Well, he reads out briefs prepared for him by Council officers, but anyone can read. On his own he flounders and often loses his temper
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know how it would work if an online petition was got up asking the Council to get rid of TMO Executive's Black, Brown, Maddison, Birch and Jevans.
ReplyDeleteIt is outside the Council's authority. Only the TMO Board can get rid of them. The Council would not put up an on-line petition for this. You can always try one on Change.org but it would have to be addressed to the TMO Board
DeleteThat's right 09.08 The TMO Board is responsible for dealing with failing Executive Officers and for deciding if they should be retained in the service of the TMO. As the TMO Board is useless a petition on change.org addressed to the TMO Board and the Council jointly might do the trick.
DeleteIt is shame that opposition councillors have let tenants down so badly on the TMO. It would be better if opposition councillors refused to go on the TMO Board and instead did some decent campaign work.
Hold your horses 09.08, not so fast.
DeleteA petition addressed to the Council asking for the suspension of the Council's Modular Management Agreement with the Tenant Management Organisation would give the Council direct control over the TMO and its underperforming Executive Officers. Technically, this is what happened when a Breach Notice was served on the TMO by the Council in 2008. The effect of the Breach Notice was not felt by the TMO for long because the Council withdrew the Notice when Robert Black took over in anticipation that he would implement meaningful, purposeful, changes. Therefore, a petition through change .org addressed to the Council calling on the Council to "suspend" the TMO Management Agreement to enable the Council to review the dismal performance of TMO Executive Officers might be the way to go. This time let us hope that clearing out top brass at the TMO makes a difference.
There is something in what Juliet says at 09.08. Jeremy Corbyn MP PC, would want his Labour Councillor foot soldiers to stop supporting the TMO by serving on its Board. Jeremy would expect good socialists to support those affected by the TMO and to work in the interests of oppressed council tenants.
DeleteBlair expected Kensington and Chielsea Labour Councillors to support the so called tenant management sham inured by the Tory run RBK&C and our Labour Councillors did what was expected of them from 1996 until Blair's demise.
DeleteNow Corbyn is a different kettle of fish. He expects Labour Councillors to be radical and to fight the Tory oppression of RBKC council tenants.
Labour councillors are part of the problem because they have acquiesced and chosen not to be part of the solution.
DeleteThis makes me think what are labour councillors for. Their idea of opposing the tories is a joke. They get £ 10, 000 a year for sitting on their arses in council meetings. Some of us work all year to get that much on national minimum wage. They do a good job in making sure that tenant management continues.
DeleteLabour councillors don't give a dam about council tenants. If they did they would stop supporting the TMO which has failed since it started in 1996. Set council tenants free from the shackles of the TMO. Join the righteous and virtuous to bring down the TMO.
ReplyDeleteTMO Resident Conference is on 17th Sept at the Royal Garden Hotel. Phone 0208 964 6125 to book a place.
ReplyDeleteLet's let the TMO know that their rule of misery and exploitation is over.
We are going! x 4 leaseholders - see you there, please come along if you can
ReplyDeleteTime to show Black who's boss at this year's AGM.
ReplyDeleteBlack and his gang get very tetchy when people say things on here. There are so many crawlers who wanna be in his gang.
ReplyDeleteI hope that every Labour Councillor goes to the TMO AGM. They need to heed what people tell them. Corbyn's ethical socialists should not be supporting the oppressive TMO.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone thought of asking TMO Members not attending this year's AGM to appoint a proxy to attend on their behalf. Imagine if the proxies turned out to be journalists on The Guardian or The Independent.
ReplyDeleteIf you are a victim of the TMO then put the 17th September in your diary and turn up at the AGM. You will not be alone and together we can let Black, Paget Brown and Laura Johnson know that the TMO's reign of terror is over.
ReplyDeleteThe TMO are planning on holding the AGM first thing in the morning so that residents do not have a chance to participate. Does anyone know what exact time the actual AGM is due to take place? We need to be there!
DeleteGet someone from Private Eye in there (as proxy for a non attending member) of the Company so that the world finds out about the TMO's Reign of Terror. That's the only thing that will make Paget Brown sit up and take notice. I think The Dame might know someone on Private Eye . Suggest that you email The Gracious Dame.
Delete12.06 The TMO fights mean and dirty. Black has to protect his £ 150, 000 salary and pension package. It is ironic that the TMO is so dirty because Black professed to be ethical when he first got the job.
ReplyDeleteIf the TMO gives Notice of an AGM first thing in the morning, even if it is a crack of dawn meeting, members of the company will be like bears with sore heads if they have to get up early on a non-school night to have a go at the TMO.
I work for the TMO. They're saying that if the AGM gets too disorderly they'll instruct the Chair to declare the AGM abandoned.
ReplyDeleteHow convenient!
DeleteDo as TMO says eh? So much for DEMOCRACY.
The AGM used to be held at 4 pm, so no one stayed after the Residents' Conference to attend it. It has been moved to the morning so that people can attend it before the start of the Residents' Conference. It is not possible to timetable it to suit everyone but this should make it easier for those who are really committed to be there. Councillors - Tory, Labour and Lib Dem - are not invited to attend unless they are members of the TMO. I don't think any Tories are TMO residents.
ReplyDeleteYOU HAVE BEEN WARNED is clearly a TMO stool pigeon putting TMO rebels on notice not to get too lively otherwise Black's current Chair has the ultimate power to end the meeting. If journalists are present, as proxies for members not attending the AGM, they will report how things proceeded which would probably work against the Black Administration's interests in trying to spin things with the Council.
ReplyDelete13.27. Have you forgotten that from 1996 until around 2012, or so, TMO AGM's were always held on a weekday at 7.30pm which gave most day time workers a good opportunity of attending?
ReplyDeleteJust like it should be in an Organisation that is led by residents who have to earn a crust.
Mrs Evans convened an Extraordinary General Meeting in 2008 at 4pm on a Thursday afternoon to prevent people who go out to work to from attending the showdown. Most of the Board were present at that meeting because most of them were drawing Benefits and did not have to worry about losing money to attend.
13.27 The Landlords of everybody living in a Kensington & Chelsea Council Flat are
ReplyDeleteThe Mayor and Councillors of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
There is no legal constraint preventing the TMO Board from inviting every elected member of the Council to attend the AGM. Indeed, the TMO should be proud to invite the Landlords to the AGM to show what a marvellous job they are doing. After all, these Councillors with their Tory counterparts, collectively have the legal personality of Landlords.
Labour, Tory, and Liberal Democrat Councillors should end the cloak and dagger stuff surrounding the management of Council Flats in this Borough and demand an invitation to attend the AGM. It is right that they should be there to listen to those who pay the rent every week. Paget Brown would only need to tell Black to invite them and Black would comply.
Have you received your ballot paper through the post? Ba BYE Anne Duru, Fay Edwards, Kush Kanodia. You have done nothing to improve TMO operation. As for Larry Da Silva... your profile says you made the correct judgement...RIGHT DECISION?! to vote for TMO to manage our homes? Obviously in cloud cucu land. You are OUT too! BA BYE.
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone who has been bullied by the TMO attends the AGM including those in Grenfall Tower and those from the Cremorne Estate. I know that there are others.
ReplyDeleteBlack is running scared. That's why the AGM is being held at 9am on a Saturday morning. The TMO stereotypes Council tenants and thinks that all those Members of the Company on benefits won't get out of bed to go to the AGM.
ReplyDeleteOn a Saturday morning at 9 o'clock most people are having breakfast or getting in the shower. Dolly Besant and Mick Beverley must be turning in their graves.
DeleteThe TMO is the biggest problem that the Council has got.
ReplyDeleteRobert Black and his managers have no experience of a TMO resident led right good showdown.
ReplyDeleteThe TMO goes from bad to worse. It is no longer possible to remedy the aberration.
ReplyDelete