£20k handout to be axed from Cannock residents group

The spending of Chase Tenants and Residents Association and alleged ‘inappropriate language’ regarding immigrants has been flagged up in a review into the organisation, which was set up in 1995.

Now Cannock Chase District Council will decide at next Thursday’s cabinet meeting whether to axe funding to the group based at Highfields Centre, Smalley Close, Hednesford.

The Chase Tenants and Residents Association was created to ‘represent the voice’ of residents groups and has been receiving £20,000-a-year in funding from the council with accommodation costs and officer time.

The group admits that it has had a 'tense' relationship with the council in recent months, but has said it wants to continue working with the authority.

However, an independent review was carried out into the association at the request of the council, which found that the groups spending was considered 'excessive' and that there were concerns over members conduct.

A council report said: “Reviews of their financial accounts have identified a number of areas with high spend, for example use of taxis. The spend is considered excessive.”

Independent consultant Phil Morgan said: “Concerns were expressed about comments they made about immigrants and allocations for new homes and members were asked to attend equality and diversity training.

“They attended but dispute that the comments were racist, whilst accepting they might not have been well placed.”

Councillor George Adamson, leader of the district council, said: “Relations have been tense, we have been asking them for spending records but they have not been forthcoming.

"At the end of the day, it is public money they are using so the people have a right to know.

"As far as comments regarding immigrants and housing go, there is no favouritism from the council and we will simply not accept any comments that may be classed as racist."

The council proposes it will be able to connect better with residents, whilst spending less, through social media, focus groups and magazines.

Anne Ames, the chairman of the tenants organisation, said: "Obviously they are all valuable forms of tenant involvement but we actually have equally an important role to play in connecting with residents.

"Residents associations are dealing directly with the problems that are on their estates, who knows these problems better than the people who live on these estate.

"We work closely with tenants and they approach us directly regarding problems with all kinds of council issues.

"We think we are a very valuable tool to the council, we are their eyes and ears on these estates

"It would be sad to lose our input and we are quite prepared to have a balanced relationship with the council, which we feel we have always had.

"We are prepared to work with them, prepared to compromise and we do realise money is a big issue in general for the council.

"I feel that we would be letting the residents down if we didn't fight to keep our service going.

"We also consider ourselves to have spent quite responsibly over the last few years."

Independent consultant Phil Morgan, who carried out the review into the group, said: "Concerns were expressed to the CTRF about comments they made about immigrants and allocations for new homes and members were asked to attend equality and diversity training.

"They had attended this training in 2011 but dispute that the comments were racist, whilst accepting they might not have been well placed.

"They also dispute that the council can instruct them as an independent body to attend training.

"There were also reports about other challenges to CTRF members about their conduct with staff and trying to glean information or influence decisions.

"These discussions and issues are time consuming for officers to resolve and create unnecessary distractions from service delivery."