Tuesday 25 May 2010

I've Been In Contact With the CAYSH People.

For those who don't remember that is the Croydon Association for Young Single Homeless people that manage #50 Beechwood Avenue. At first the guy, Charlie, gave me a lot of flannel about how they can't do anything until the residents have been there for four months. After I pointed out that January to May is in fact five months I started getting some sense out of him.

The interim solution they've put in place is to employ a private security firm to oversee the property. This is meant to consist of two personnel who sit in a car outside the property on a two hour on two hour off schedule unless they are dealing with a problem at another address. I have to point out that I haven't actually seen any evidence of this happening.

He then went on to explain that they will be taking action to remove the troublemaker(s) from the property as soon as possible. This is the matter I wanted to speak to him about specifically. The boyfriend of one of the two girls who were moved in January is a low level* but known member of a certain local drugs network. Under order's from his higher ups he's been trying to force the two existing residents of the house out in order to use the property to sell drugs. Charlie denied all knowledge of this which I found strange because the drugs network in question enjoys very good relations with Croydon police who in turn enjoy very good relations with the owners of the property.

After being pushed on the matter slightly Charlie went on to admit that CAYSH will have to have a very serious rethink about what they will do next with the property. I'll save them a bit of time by explaining that they'll be closing the property and make no attempt to sell it.

While I'm here I may as well point out that yesterday's coach crash near Cockermouth that killed three was obviously staged. However if you're allowing the Brits to define the terms of the discussion you've already started to lose. Also I should point out that my brother lives on a street called Jamaica Road but I'm not sure why that is in anyway relevant.


*If the two things are comparable I would say that he is a corporal. As in a little above a foot solider but still closer to the gutter then the stars.