Lambeth’s ‘failing’ housing service slammed by watchdog
The leaked Audit Commission report into Lambeth Living shows how the housing service in the borough has collapsed since Labour Lambeth regained control of the council in mid 2006. Despite changing the Labour politician in charge of housing recently the decline has continued and now the housing director is packing his bags to move to a new job in Merton.
A copy was stuffed anonymously through a tenant leader’s letter box recently. Labour councillors have refused so far to release the document for general scrutiny but a copy has already reached the local press which is fiercely independent of Labour Lambeth Council.
Andrew says: “From the extracts I have been read, it is an amazingly forthright document for an Audit Commission production: every area of the Lambeth Living’s activities is slammed as being weak. The conclusion, on prospects for future improvement, suggests that there may be none. Although no particular individual is singled out for blame, there is no area of operation of the service that escapes criticism.”
Suzanne says: “The report finds that the overall service is now weak but by contrast it adds several times that in 2006 Lambeth Housing (as Lambeth Living was then known) was performing adequately and demonstrating improvement.
“The biggest risk now is that it will take too long for the service to recover in time to reach the standard necessary to qualify for £250 million from the Government to meet the decent home standard by 2014.”
CLICK HERE if you would like to download key extracts from the new report.
