6.
2
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Mrs. Elliott has fully supported the approach that commercial rents should not be subsidised, but it appears that she is using this issue to draw attention to her views on political issues.
7.
The documents presented by the Association are largely based on arguments previously used by some estate shopkeepers in 1973/74. Briefly, they claim that the commercial premises which they built (some, probably many, illegally) on public land, and which were cleared for development, gave them an "entitlement" to permanent "rights" to commercial space in Government built blocks, a right that in their view should include virtually no payment of rent, and an absolute right of disposal for personal profit. Many factory units have been sold privately, and those purchasers also claim the "rights".
8.
In fact, no rights were attached to the previous squatter factories. Government granted monthly tenancies in flatted factory blocks, not as compensation, but so that the small operators could continue in business. It was always known and accepted that these were simply tenancy rights and nothing more.
9.
Flatted factories are designed to assist very small operators; larger squatter factory operators are not offered flatted factory space. The blocks are built in units of 256 sq. ft. each, and up to a maximum of six is allocated to anyone operator. Internal walls are not installed by the Authority, because the number of units allocated varies, and also to retain flexibility in allocation. Thus tenants erect internal walls themselves, but the major cost of a multi-storey building is by far in the structure provided by the Authority.
10.
The other matters raised in the documents presented by the Association seem but distantly if at all related either to the issue of rent or to representation.
11.
It seems that Mrs. Elliott's main concern is to embarrass the Authority into interviewing this Association. The Chairman of the Management Committee decided that there would be little point in interviewing them, because the matters specifically mentioned by Mrs. Elliott had already been extensively discussed, and settled. They related, in fact, to objections to paying the increased rent, the case of which is explained above. I fully supported the Chairman in this case.
12.
The Housing Authority faces its difficult task of managing very large domestic and commercial estates with a sense of fairness and, where appropriate, determination. Its Members are obliged to consider every year a number of proposed rent increases involving large numbers of people, which not unexpectedly produce some objections from tenants. The necessary decisions are taken with understanding and sympathy for those affected. Mrs. Elliott seems to assume that no one but she has any appreciation of life outside Committee rooms, but the experience and consideration given by other Members to these matters suggests otherwise.
/13.