Published: 3 February, 2012

• Well done, Catherine West, leader of Islington Council, for getting Homes for Islington (HfI) to reconsider its policy that led to the banning of Highbury estate’s chair, Lorna Reid.

Had Catherine been able to come to our meeting she would have seen that some 50 residents had been outraged at HfI’s interference in our affairs.

As it was, our councillors and MP Jeremy Corbyn did a sterling job and must have reported back on the passions raised.

Thanks too to the Tribune; your support has been outstanding.

Despite sending invitations to senior executives at HfI none of them turned up.

Had they done so they may have understood the situation a bit better.

Cllr West’s move came just in time to save HfI further embarrassment over its cancellation of the Highbury House East Panel meeting last Thursday.

HfI had sent out notices saying “the planned meeting for the 26th has been called off as a consequence of the Panel’s failure to comply with the revised terms of reference”.

Why the cancellation? Panel members had challenged HfI’s directive by re-electing Lorna as their panel chair.

HfI’s response was to give the panel a smacked bottom for being naughty.

Thanks to Catherine, the panel could get on with its job of scrutinising the council’s housing plan for next year.

Somehow, I don’t think many people will rue the day when HfI has to drink its own medicine and is abolished.

Richard Rosser
Highbury New Park, N5