1,498 DAYS – FOUR YEARS + 1 MONTH + 5 DAYS
since Thistle’s mismanaged Major Works Programme started on 7th January 2016
1,170 DAYS – THREE YEARS + 2 MONTHS + 14 DAYS
since 30th November 2016 when “all of the works to all of the houses in Toryglen will be complete“. Today, Thursday 13th February 2020, still incomplete, work proven to be shoddy and more importantly, dangerous and now possibly hazardous to life and limb
It has been announced that Sanctuary Scotland is now, possibly, to take over the utterly failed and historically mismanaged Thistle Housing Association
There is an article in today’s Glasgow Times regarding the proposed takeover, here or at the end of this piece.
Following yesterday’s announcement by Sanctuary Scotland of their proposed takeover of Thistle Housing Association, it is expected that senior management from Sanctuary will soon be in Thistle Fort (if not already) to discuss various
circumstances, initial plans, requirements, etc with staff. There have been unending discussions abounding over the past weeks with and amongst the various interested parties but thus far, the most important groups (or should be the most important groups), shareholders and residents, have had no part of any description, in any processes or discussions, pretty much mirroring the long term misbehaviour of Thistle’s failed management.
Hopefully, things will change now that Sanctuary is in the fray but only time will tell. The rumour mill grinds away that Sanctuary is taking over Thistle but this possibility is only after due diligence is completed, the books are perused, the business plan, which Thistle’s management never understood, is put under the microscope and, of course, the huge expenditure required to right the four year wrongs of Thistle’s failed Major Works Programme is considered.
Thistle’s financial year, 2019-2020, ends in just a few weeks, during which time, the interim director, Bob McGuire, who has patently accomplished little but broken so many promised undertakings. The deficits accrued by Thistle over the past two years have been extraordinarily vicious, money which could have and should have been invested in the estate, not that Thistle, unlike the vast majority of associations, has ever done any of that. Mr McGuire is now desperate to get in as much loot as he can from beleaguered residents, particularly owners who have simply refused to cough up money for the incomplete and dangerous Major Works Programme as well as unexplained fees and charges levied upon them by way of Thistle’s biannual bills.
One wonders exactly what Sanctuary thinks of Thistle’s existing management given the 
damning investigation reports from the Scottish Housing Regulator not to mention the unending complaints of residents.
Given that, it is inexplicable that those to blame for the gross failures and streams of lies and deliberately faked statistics supplied to the Regulator, remain in position, those being Grace McColgan, the now gone director, Daniella Sprott, the failed Operations Manager (now with a conveniently different job title but the same bullying tactics) and her partner in crime, Jim Naismith the Finance Manager who plunged Thistle into huge losses and flogged Thistle’s equity to a shower of last gasp pawn shop financial speculators in London at huge cost as the banks would not lend to Thistle.
In particular, Daniella Sprott has been at the root of the problems with her bullying, stories and lies. Attempts to hide evidence such as the shredding of documents and the deletion of email accounts (and backups) are extremely worrying, raising the question of why these actions were carried out. That was rhetorical as the explanation is self evident. She has carried out a long term regime of intimidation and bullying of both staff and residents alike in the old fashioned way that ‘the factor is always right’ forgetting that some 44% or thereabouts of Toryglen properties are owned and whose proprietors will not and have not put up with such behaviour.
Previously, owners moaned and paid their bills (which have now been massively inflated without explanation over the past three years or so) but as it dawned on residents, particularly owners, when the Major Works Programme began its spectacular downfall, it sparked a sense of ‘wait a minute’ resulting in residents, previously mute, to ask questions. Questions which Miss Sprott did not like, to which she indulged in desperate prevarication, dismissed, deflected, lied and ultimately, refused to answer, as did her pal, ex director Grace McColgan.
Argue with the bullying Miss Sprott and a barring order would be immediately issued on the false pretext of bringing Thistle Housing “into disrepute“. Ironically, as can now be seen so clearly, Miss Sprott and her cronies were the ones who mastered the “disrepute” trick all too well. Residents then took matters into their own hands, did a bit of research and expended no small amount of effort to seek justice. Consequently, we arrive at today. Not the desired outcome which was only for those who drove Thistle to ruin to be expelled as a result of their actions.
The closure of Thistle was never desired but given the poisonous reputation it now has in Toryglen and amongst the housing industry, its impending demise is deserved and required. Had Miss Sprott, Mrs McColgan and to a lesser extent, Jim Naismith together with their never changing cronies on the ineffectual, manipulated management committee been ejected at an earlier time, Thistle Housing may have survived to live another day and complete the Major Works Programme and, more importantly, run the business in a fit and proper manner. Maybe even, like all other housing associations, build new homes and invest in the common realm in Toryglen. But no. They could see no further than their own inflated salary slips.
There simply cannot be a circumstance whereby those to blame for Thistle’s failures stretching back many years even prior to the secret and unfulfilled Major Works Programme, can be allowed to continue to have influence over Thistle or whatever happens to it. That would mean that failure pays dividends.
The name Thistle Housing Association is now sullied and tarnished beyond redemption as a result of the self seeking actions of those persons mentioned above. It is assumed that Sanctuary, on the basis that they complete the takeover, will consign the name Thistle Housing to history, as they should do together with those responsible for the misery inflicted on residents (and the even more misery to come during rectification works).
Meantime, the flats and houses remain incomplete, many experiencing the effects of shoddy work and in too many respects, dangerous.
The roofs require urgent action, rainwater is leaking into the wall insulation, gutters are misplaced, window sills are faulty and/or of the wrong type but there is no published plan of rectification despite all the promises from the ineffective interim director so expensively hired from Savills.
Where are the results of the investigation into the E.ON contract, the massive amounts handed over to the laughingly self termed ‘Clerk of Works’, Jeff Poulter (who should have picked up and actioned the multitude of glaring faults), where are the results of the 
residents’ opinion survey undertaken by Arneil Johnston? Are the results of all these investigations to be cast in the bin on the pretext of ‘lessons will be learned’ (which they never are)?
Why has Thistle’s management (and Bob McGuire) refused to answer residents’ written queries stretching back to September 2016? Indeed, Mr McGuire has now pontificated that he will not discuss anything with “third parties”. A great description of those who form the most important group in all of this mess, The Residents which reflects how they have been treated over the years by Thistle’s self indulgent and “non technical” management.
Let’s see how all of this works out. Let’s see if Sanctuary involves residents and takes their fears and opinions to heart. Let’s see if, at long last, Toryglen residents are properly considered but principally, Sanctuary and/or Thistle must issue a statement unequivocally underlining that the long awaited and delayed rectification works will be undertaken in very early course and to the satisfaction of the hundreds of residents affected.
Meantime, an article in today’s Glasgow Times. Click here or the graphic below to read.
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