UNDER MAINLAND CONTROL

This week a new Chair of Medina HA will be appointed by the massive mainland Group - Spectrum Housing - that now controls it.

Despite there being no rules to stop such an application, and no contrary guidance from the regulating Housing Corporation, my own entirely credible application was blocked by Spectrum - by decision of their Group Board at a meeting in Christchurch, Dorset, early last month. They blocked me because they do not think that I am or can be 'independent' of the IW Council, because I am an IW Councillor and a Council nominee onto their subsidiary Medina Board !

I consider that to be both a ridiculous and an insulting assertion. However, I have not taken this any further as it would just take up too much of my valuable time challenging it.

Nonetheless I consider this to be a deeply worrying development in the sensitive balance between the Spectrum Group and its Medina subsidiary. Medina is the largest landlord for rented, social housing on the Island, and from my councillor point of view is the landlord to 40% plus of Pan households. And yet, decisions about how its governed here on the Island are now made in Christchurch by people who do not know the IW. That's is why the current Chair is standing down.

I thought I was a person who could redress the imbalance a little, but Spectrum have now made sure that cannot happen.