LibDems say Lambeth Labor are ‘in denial over housing failure’

Lambeth Labor voted against a Liberal Democrat motion that would have committed the Council to achieving affordable housing targets.

The Liberal Democrat group said Lambeth must report to the Social Housing Regulator to determine whether it has breached the Homes Standard, following in the footsteps of Southwark, Ealing and Haringey.

Lambeth’s housing strategy, adopted in March 2024, included a number of vague promises to be delivered by 2030.

The Lib Dems’ motion highlighted this, calling on Lambeth to set targets for the number of new homes to be built each year and commit to 40% of them being affordable homes, while using an ambitious new definition of accessibility.

The Lib Dem motion called on Lambeth to name a date by which 50% of the 400 long-term empty homes would be occupied by social housing tenants.

Commenting, Cllr Donna Harris, leader of the opposition Lambeth Liberal Democrat Group, said:

Lambeth Labor should be deeply ashamed of themselves, their failures and denials are disrespectful and deprive residents of their right to a decent home.

The truth lies in the inundated inboxes of housing councilors and residents struggling to be heard on the steps of City Hall last night.

Without annual targets, we will go into the next local elections in 2026 on the back of Labor’s promises, and by 2030 they will have found someone else to blame for failing to deliver.

The motion also requested, first of all, a new category for Urgent or Crisis Maintenance and Repairs, with objectives to inspect all urgent cases within 48 hours and for work to begin within 10 working days.

Second, a new dedicated urgent redress case officer whose sole job would be to take the most serious cases forward. This would give advisers a clear point of contact in cases where they cannot afford to wait 10 days for a member’s query to be answered.

Councilor Matthew Bryant, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, pointed to Lambeth Labour’s house building failures compared to the success of Lib Dem-led Sutton Council.

Sutton, led by the Liberal Democrats, oversaw 2,440 new homes completed between 2018-19 and 2022-23, while Lambeth managed 2,330. Of this, Sutton delivered 160 new Council homes, while Lambeth managed none.

background

(This article is based on a Lambeth LibDems press release and is reproduced here for information purposes. Pic © Lambeth LibDems)