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james73

Residents force housing chiefs into a U-turn over high-rise battle posters

HOUSING bosses infuriated tenants by refusing to put up posters publicising a
meeting on the future of their under-threat homes.

Now - after the intervention of an MSP who labelled the managers' actions
petty - they've backed down and issued an apology to the campaigning
residents.

Pinkston Tenants Assocation in Glasgow's Sighthill - who want to save their
five tower blocks - accused local housing organisation Compass of trying
to stop their meeting.

When they sent the posters to Compass -which manages the homes on
behalf of Glasgow Housing Association - community housing boss Bob
McGuire asked his staff to return them.

But MSP Paul Martin intervened, insisting it was "petty" to stop the posters
going up.

Mr McGuire today said sorry to the tenants - and offered to display the
posters advertising tonight's meeting.

PTA secretary Elaine Ellis was stunned at the U-turn and said tonight's
meeting would give the area a boost just days after Sighthill social club
was razed by firebugs.

Miss Ellis, who lives in a 16th-floor flat, said: "We are not sure if it was
Compass or GHA who didn't want us having our meeting.

"But they seem to have revised their thinking after we informed Mr Martin
of the situation.

"We suspect they don't want residents getting together because the No 1
issue we discuss is how we can save our community."

Mr McGuire said: "We admitted we got this wrong and apologised to the
tenants' association. We should have put up the posters in our tower
blocks when asked and I am happy to confirm we have now done so.

"No decision has been taken on the future of the flats. But we are always
happy to consult our tenants and will be present at the meeting to hear the
views of those in attendance."

Glasgow Springburn MSP Mr Martin said: "I spoke to someone at a senior
level from GHA and I'm satisfied that the situation has now been resolved.
The main issue was that the PTA is autonomous and is entitled to hold meetings
whenever it decides.

"To refuse to put up the posters was petty to say the least and not very professional."

Residents are fighting to save the five high-rise blocks in Pinkston Drive - a
total of 2420 homes.

Demolition is GHA's "preferred option" in its masterplan to regenerate Sighthill.

The association is going ahead with the bulldozing of five other tower blocks
on the Fountainwell side of Sighthill. The Sighthill high-rises were built in the
1960s near the site of St Rollox Chemical Works, now a huge Tesco store.(#)

Tonight's public meeting of Pinkston Tenants Association is at 7.30pm in St
Stephen's Primary.

(# - incorrect. Who'da thunk the ET would get some facts wrong?

)

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

maximusmop · Roll and sausage Joined: 20 Jul 2008 Posts: 35

when i signed for my flat in townhead in 2001 i was told that all ten towe's in sighthill where going to demolished, now with 2 of them gone and 1 in various stage's of stripout and a further 2 nealry empty it doe's not supprise me the way compass treat's there resident's, i know i am a compass tennant!