Labour-controlled Southwark Council faces a motion of no confidence tonight after being accused of serious failings in its management of local housing.
Southwark Liberal Democrats have filed a motion to depose Labour leader Cllr Kieron Williams and the cabinet member for finance, Cllr Stephanie Cryan, citing reports from the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) and the area’s Housing Ombudsman.
Southwark Council’s opposition leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain accused the administration of burying its head in the sand in a post on Southwark Liberal Democrats’ website.
Cllr Chamberlain said: “Decades of mismanagement and neglect have left residents unsafe in their own homes.
“The regulator’s findings confirm what residents and campaigners have been saying for years: This administration has failed to look after residents’ safety and wasted millions in the process.”
The RSH report in November last year revealed just half of council homes were equipped with smoke alarms, while 30% were reported have failed the Decent Homes Standard, marking an increase of 2% from the previous figure in 2018.
Southwark Council attracted further criticism for the borough coming third in the entire country for housing complaints to the Ombudsman in 2023/25.
The situation has garnered concern from central government, with Labour Housing Minister Baroness Taylor of Stevenage confirming ministers are monitoring the case closely.
Mayor of Southwark Naimi Ali, initially refused to call tonight’s extraordinary meeting where the vote is to be tabled, but was ultimately overruled after a successful appeal to the council’s independent legal officer.
Southwark Labour’s 2022 manifesto stated: “Everyone deserves to have a quality, affordable and secure place to live.
“We will stand up for renters and leaseholders, fighting for your rights and ensuring you get a fair deal.”
This sentiment was echoed in recent posts to social media, where the party claimed to be in step with the Downing Street’s plans to expand building of social and affordable homes.
The no-confidence vote is expected to fail as 53 of the 64 seat on Southwark Council being controlled by Labour.
Nevertheless, Cllr Chamberlain was encouraged by conversations with sympathetic Labour colleagues and hoped some might abstain on the motion.
Regardless of the result at tonight’s meeting, which starts at 9pm, he stressed serious questions remain to be answered about council housing finances and discrepancies in major work schemes.
Southwark Council was approached for comment.
Picture Credit: Wikimedia Commons, by user Stephen Craven. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License.
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