Putting the sardine in sardonic
All right for some
Visits to crime-ridden estates, run-down city centres and ageing prisoners – the life of a Home Office minister is normally a bundle of laughs.

But lucky Hazel Blears is the envy of the office after swinging a visit to Portugal last week to watch the football – oh, and "witness first-hand the joint coordination between UK and Portuguese authorities," of course. I wonder if she got to see some classic British antisocial behaviour out on the terraces as well?

Foot in Teignmouth
Amid the current brouhaha over council tax, one council has a particularly large egg stain on its face: Teignbridge, which recently threatened the family of Teignmouth resident Jason Pope with court action and bailiffs over the non-payment of a £402 bill.

However, not only did Pope never reside at the property over which he was accused, he was kidnapped and killed by rebels in Angola five years ago. The council has apologised to his family for the mix-up.

Exile on main street
Cheltenham council has vetoed plans to name a street on a new upmarket development after former Rolling Stone Brian Jones.

Jones was born in the town in 1942 and, although he died in 1969, he still clearly gets up some people's noses: residents opposed the proposal from the start.

The road is now going to be named after local writer John Moore – a brave suggestion from developer Bryant.

A place in the sun
Staff of regional development agencies will vacate their offices in droves next month to attend MIPIM, Europe's largest property conference. Spare a thought for them: they may pine for the simple charms of Harrogate but will be forced to make do with the sun, sea and champagne of southern France – Cannes to be precise.

Apparently the South-east England Development Agency is reluctantly hiring its own yacht for the event. Social animal's invitation seems to have got lost in the post, so I can only express my sincere hope that none of its representatives succumbs to seasickness.

Sink or swim
Here's a tale to cheer those sick of the rat race. Lynda Lake, who manages Foundation Housing's Grove Resource Centre for vulnerable young people in Leeds, has decided to throw in the towel and emigrate to South Africa.

She has been saving up her pennies for the purchase of a former brothel, where she plans to put her housing skills to good use and open a guesthouse for scuba divers.

It's enough to give even someone with a level of job satisfaction as high as mine the urge to dash to the airport.

Call the fuzz

Hats off to Brian McGurk, a project manager with Collingwood Properties. He’s overseeing the construction of a five-star Hilton hotel in Tyneside – a crucial part of the area’s regeneration – but it’s a year late and McGurk blames Balfour Beatty, the giant contractor. With the situation getting increasingly hairy, so is McGurk – he is refusing to shave until it is resolved. He now sports a ginger beard of a kind not seen since David Bellamy was on telly. Getting the building ready as soon as possible now looks like an essential face-saving exercise for all concerned.

Source

Housing Today