OUTGOING and outgoing portfolio holder for housing, cllr Val Morris-Cook delivered a robust val-e-dictory (did you see what we did there) defence of her departments record.
This was cllr Morris-Cook’s final appearance in cabinet as she is standing down from the post and will be standing down as a councillor in 2015.
Bright, perceptive, challenging, forensic and a real problem solver, Val will be sorely missed in the cabinet as she leaves to concentrate on her professional career. Val would have made a fine leader of the council, MP or police boss. Alas, civic societies loss is the private sectors gain.
Meanwhile, Val pointed to the record of her department.
Cllr Morris-Cook said: “Before I leave, I would like to pay tribute to Barbara Brownlie and her department for the work they have done.
“Turning round voids has gone down from 100 days to 35 days. Rent collection is now up to 99.3%. There were 29 evictions in 2013.
“The vast majority of tenants are happy as our surveys show (82% rated it as excellent or good).”
Cllr Morris-Cook did make reference to Ockendon councillor Lynn Carr and once again made reference to her running to the press.
Cllr Morris-Cook’s words were echoed by cllr Barbara Rice who said: “I recently spoke to a Chadwell resident who was so delighted at her transformed home that she described it as like “winning the lottery.”
Council leader John Kent asked cllr Morris-Cook how she responded to criticisms that questioned whether she had experience of social housing.
Cllr Morris-Cook then described her early years long ago in Walthamstow.
Cllr Morris-Cook said: “I lived in a council property for many years. We were subject to threats from a landlord and had terrivle heating. We also had one tin bath between many of us.”
Cllr Morris-Cook did not make any reference to getting up half an hour before she went to bed or licking road clean...
Cllr Kent and the rest of the cabinet thanked cllr Morris-Cook for all the hard work she had done over the years.
Cllr Morris-Cook then burst into a version of My Way as flowers were thrown… (That’s enough-Ed).
Well it made me laugh. And the jokey bit at the end was funny as well.
I wonder if shes moving out of Chafford
Isnt there a little Pot, Kettle situation going on here? Doesnt VMC run to the press with her so called “good stories” at the drop of a hat.
From what I am told Lyn has tried desperatlyto get VMC and her cabinet chums involved but they didnt want to know as “it was all under control”!!
Keep up the good work in Ockendon Lyn we all know you are doing what you were elected for!! Unlike Kent, VMC et all.
I think “Sorry seems to be the hardest word “would have been a more appropriate final song>
Will she continue to dress like a worker from North Korea?
Oh that did make me laugh!! And I totally agree with all u said littletommytucker! What are these surveys VMC talk of?I’ve never seen one let alone filled one in!Lynne Carr has repeatedly tried to get VMC and Barbara Brownlee involved, without much success. I myself managed to get Barbara Brownlee to visit my property to see for herself the repairs that still needed doing 6 months after I moved in(which were meant to be done whilst void!).she wasn’t impressed! In fact she told me she thought the flowers estate should be pulled down and rebuilt! So how can they say they have satisfied tenants and good housing stock???
Goodbye VMC somehow I don’t think u will be missed very much
Thank god for that , a grown woman behaving as tho she is a play ground . From my own personal experience when myself and my family have constant housing issues eg over flowing sewage , damp and mould , asbestos and the only person that’s been fighting our corner and pushing the council to do their work is Lynn carr . Lynn carr has been an absolute saviour to myself and my family when I couldn’t get any lower I knew I always had Lynn for any advice or just an ear for me to talk to . With constant emails to and from the council visits from the council work still wasn’t being done and this is the reason why Lynn helps so many people it doesn’t matter how Lynn helps these people and val in particular should take a leaf out of Cllr carr book and treat people with a bit of compassion they would get far more votes and much better publicity but more importantly they would have the respect off the people that matter the most just like Lynn has . I can’t ever thank Lynn as much as she deserves and i for one and every I know will be supporting Lynn especially when certain people can’t handle the truth and start making comments about her which are ridiculously childish . If there more Lynn carrs in the world it would be a much better place .
Leaving before the sh!t hits the fan, why am I not surprised!
This would be an ideal final song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtL3RH96d5I