Reply from Thurrock Council regarding the stealth rent increase

I got a reply from Michael Everest from Complaints and Information Governance at Thurrock Council regarding the ‘service charges’ being imposed on council tenants to cover the increase in council rents the Tory-led council wanted to impose but couldn’t due to the pledge by their Westminster brethren to reduce council rents by 1%.  Below is the full text of that e-mail:

Dear Mr Cook,

Thank you for your email. I can confirm that only the grounds maintenance aspect of the service charges has been suspended and the other charges will remain in place. All residents are being contacted to confirm this information and an appeals team has been set up to respond to anyone who wishes to query these charges or appeal the decision directly.

In regards to receiving a response directly from Cllr Gledhill, unfortunately as he receives a very large amount of correspondence this is often investigated by relevant officers within the council, who respond on his behalf.

Kind regards,

Michael Everest l Complaints and Information Governance Assistant I HR, OD & Transformation

And here’s my reply:

Dear Mr Everest,

Can you give me the contact details of the appeals team?

Regarding Cllr Gledhill - it is his policy and it is his defence of said policy so it is his responsibility to reply to my article as a publically elected official who should take personal responsibility for his ignoring his own party's pledge to reduce council rents.  His response is not just for myself but for all the council residents of Thurrock who are having their council rent increased at a time when his own party's 'government' pledged to reduce council rents by 1%.  As I will be posting any reply I get from him, as I have with your responses, on my blog which then has links posted on relevant websites, his personal response will get the public airing it deserves.  Please pass this onto Cllr Gledhill and tell him that I won't go away until he responds.

Regards,

Myles Cook