Paul Truswell has been a member of the BITMO Board since 2014. He came to Leeds almost exactly 50 years ago. During that time, he served as a Councillor for 26 years, a Member of Parliament for 13 years and worked as a journalist and social services manager.
Tell us about your background.
You could say that council housing is in my DNA. I was brought up on a very large Sheffield council estate by low paid parents. My mum was a laundrette attendant (think of a Yorkshire version of Eastenders’ Dot Cotton). My dad was a steel foundryman. They and my brother moved into that newly built council house in 1949 and a Truswell remained a tenant for the next 72 years.
I cannot imagine what life would have been like for our family without the security of having a decent and affordable roof over our heads. That background has made supporting council housing and tenants one of my greatest political passions.
What are the challenges facing people in this area?
We know people in Belle Isle face huge inequalities in terms of factors like health, housing, income, illness, disability, and education.
The recent talk about a cost of living crisis ignores the fact that many local people have had to contend with those pressures for years. These have obviously grown much worse in recent times, partly as a result of higher bills for things like fuel and food, but also cuts in Council, police and NHS services. In partnership with other services BITMO is playing a key role in supporting residents.
How did you get involved with BITMO?
I became a Councillor for Middleton Park Ward in 2012 and a Council nominee to the BITMO Board in 2014. When I stood down as a Councillor last year I was asked if I would consider being co-opted onto the BITMO Board. Given my passion for promoting council housing and supporting tenants, I agreed.
What are the benefits of tenant management?
When the Council carries out its tenant satisfaction surveys, BITMO generally comes in the top two or three housing management areas. That can’t be a coincidence. Having a team of officers overseen by a Board largely comprised of tenants brings a dimension to managing the estate that doesn’t exist elsewhere. The highly valued caretaker service is a prime example of how the Board reflects tenants’ priorities.
Board members have a huge responsibility. Tenant management can only work effectively if there are committed people who are prepared to volunteer, to get to grips with the detail and the issues facing BITMO and its tenants, and to challenge its paid officers constructively where necessary. In my 10 years on the Board there have been some real stalwarts who have been very effective at doing that.
What would you say are BITMO’s achievements?
Managing, repairing and improving properties is obviously BITMO’s prime purpose. This includes setting and monitoring budgets, coping with increasing funding pressures, holding contractors to account and dealing with complaints.
But the BITMO Board strives to go well beyond a basic tenant/landlord relationship. It provides a very wide range of services and activities at the GATE and in the community that support the needs and wellbeing of residents – often in partnership with other public services and third sector organisations. That includes providing support like affordable meals, training, benefits advice, activities and tutoring for young people, access to computers and digital skills, local environmental and social projects, and enhancing green spaces like the Circus… to list just a few of BITMO’s many tenant-centred initiatives.
What do you see as BITMO’s future if tenants vote to continue with a TMO?
There’s no rocket science involved. To maintain the trust of tenants BITMO needs to build on its strengths, such as the sort of initiatives listed above. It equally has to recognise those aspects of its activities that need improving through listening closely to tenants and responding to their needs. As an organisation led by tenants it is well placed to respond to those challenges.
