Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation supporter Michael Hollands is furious that civil servants at the Department of Communities and Local Government declined to attend the Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation / LKP meeting with MPs yesterday.

Hollands, who is a constituent in Nottingham of Kenneth Clark, urged the named official – who has responsibility for leasehold issues – to attend, but the civil servant declined, pleading previous commitments.

Kenneth Clark himself apologised for being unable to attend, but said he would write to Housing Minister Mark Prisk on the issue.

Hollands shares Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation outrage that DCLG civil servants found time to attend the ARMA annual conference, at which champagne was served, but not a meeting for MPs – where there were no refreshments at all  – but who were eager to know more about leasehold issues that assail their constituents. ARMA is headed by former DCLG civil servant Michelle Banks, who was appointed last February.

Michael Hollands email to the DCLG official is below:

Dear xxx

I hope that by now commonsense has prevailed and your Department will attend the briefing.

Surely it is part of the Departments function to wise up on these problems which affect the lives of those you are supposed to support.

In fact some of the Department`s stated aspirations are as follows:

1 Increasing accountability and openess.

2 Creating a safe and healthy environment for everyone.

3 Creating a responsible ” big society”.

4 Safeguarding vulnerable adults from exploitation.

By leaning more about the problems from the experts you will better be able to meet these aspirations. I would call it part of taking a caring attitude towards the elderly.

I am sure you will be taking some action regarding Care Homes since you have learnt recently how some of them are run.

 May I suggest the following action if your workload is heavy.

I have several e.mails and letters awaiting replies from the Minister, the Baroness and yourself.

Replying to these will take up a lot of your time, far more than a 30 minute briefing.

As the thousands of affected retired are far more important than myself I suggest you bin all my correspondance and attend the briefing.

Then maybe yourself and those who make the Government policies will better understand the situation and things will improve for those elderly who are at present disadvantaged.

I shall then not have to waste my valuable time ( I have not as much left as yourself) on this depressing subject.

Regards

Michael Hollands

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