Lewisham Council leaseholders on Dispatches Channel 4

Channel 4 Dispatches programme covered leaseholder charges concerning the next big housing scandle in their view last night. What was alarming to discover, was that Lewisham Council it was claimed and in the words of the Housing Ministe,.....had sweet heart.... deals with its contractors, this is a deal in which the Council awards Council contractors to companies who then pay back a percentage of the profit to Lewisham Council. Clearly this if it is true, is a shocking way to run a Council as Lewisham Leaseholders in the main, Elderly and poor residents who have bought under the right to buy are paying excessive sums for major works, only for the Council to profit. I have today under the freedom of information asked the Council how long Lewisham council has been running these deals. How much money they have made out of it, and what percentage of profit if any, has been paid back to Lewisham Leaseholders. I have very real concerns as to how legal this is. A Council has a duty to secure the best deal for Lewisham Tax payers, not Lewisham Council. If they are awarding Business contracts and paying with Lewisham Tax payers money, the contracts and tender process should be open and fair which this is clearly not. I will keep you up to date with this on my blog, and will publish the Councils response to my Questions.