Berkeley Homes contradict CBWRA claim that management contract retendering has been decided and also state that CBWRA recognition to be withdrawn

Berkeley Homes today confirm they have given CBWRA notice that their recognition will be withdrawn. The reason is not (as CBWRA have been desperately trying to say) anything to do with me – Berkeley Homes are 100% clear this decision is due to CBWRA being unable to prove 50% leaseholder membership.

Berkeley Homes say today they have NOT decided to retender the management contract, in flat contradiction of CBWRA. So why did CBWRA announce this during a live Chair elections? Whether or not the retender will happen (which seems likely) many people might ask what possible reason there could be for doing such a thing just a few days from the results of the Chair elections.

Well in my view one of the main reasons was to distract from the impending derecognition of the CBWRA which Berkeley Homes had communicated to CBWRA same day. Possibly, and this is speculative, it was hoped that there would be some gain for the committee – since this very odd letter also implied that the retendering was somehow a CBWRA achievement or a continuation of CBWRA’s failed retender in January 2022 (which it is not). Let’s be clear – the retender (if it happens) is a Berkeley Homes initiative, it will be run by them and for them and CBWRA will have very limited input. It is quite possible that Rendall and Rittner will be reappointed since they will be allowed to bid in the retender. So this retendering , even if it happens, is very far from ‘the best news ever’ as one committee member stated. It also seriously delays or perhaps even prevents Right to Manage happening in 2023.

All of this really proves how spot on I was in my manifesto – that CBWRA has, in my view, a broken governance and the current regime cannot deliver Right to Manage.