Our Relationship with 'TELCO' and 'London CITIZENS'

London CITIZENS’ goal is to build the power of communities who work together for the common good. Its focus is the development of leadership within our social institutions, and within our local communities. In accordance with this, London CITIZENS’ affordable housing campaign – which has been reaffirmed by its membership as one of its most pressing concerns each year since its inception in 2004 – is one that agitates for social reform and seeks to create circumstances conducive to community led-developments across the city. However, London CITIZENS does not intend to directly undertake housing development itself, but will actively support and facilitate the work of organisations that do.

In 2007, London CITIZENS helped set up the East London Community Land Trust (ELCLT) as an independent, community benefit Industrial and Provident Society regulated by the FSA. ELCLT is now working with partners to fulfil the Mayoral commitment to support a pilot Community Land Trust project during this mayoralty (2008-2012).

London CITIZENS and the East London Community Land Trust have recently agreed to provide their stakeholders and potential partners with the following short statement to set out the respective roles and responsibilities of the two organisations:

1. Although it helped set up the East London Community Land Trust, London CITIZENS has no direct role in the management of ELCLT, but will continue to promote the interests of ELCLT and the establishment of other CLTs and community housing and planning projects across London, in response to the needs of its members and other local community organisations.
2. ELCLT is currently planning to enter the Homes and Communities Agency’s forthcoming tender for the St. Clement’s Hospital site, as a JV partner with its preferred member of the HCA Development Panel.
3. ELCLT has an annually elected Board of Trustees drawn from within its own membership: comprising of one-third local residents, one-third people working in local civil society organisations, and one-third independent experts. Its immediate objective is to develop the St. Clement’s Hospital site, and its current board membership reflects community and expert interests that are needed for that task in that area.
4. ELCLT will also promote its interest in being involved in the community-led and owned housing schemes envisaged for the Olympic Legacy Neighbourhoods, together with selected local housing providers. At the appropriate time, it will take steps to broaden the skills and knowledge of the board to expand its activities, and/or sponsor the establishment of new CLTs or community owned housing organisations to undertake new projects.
5. ELCLT will also take the lead in working with Tower Hamlets Council and existing and emerging community owned and led housing bodies, particularly existing housing cooperatives, to set up a Community Housing Working Group, involving registered providers working in the Borough who are responding to the HCA’s 2011-15 Investment Prospectus, which requests mainstream registered providers to support community led and owned housing projects, as part of their ‘offer’ over the next four years.

(Read the full Memorandum of Understanding as sent to stakeholders here.)