Labour’s election pledge: “Every home safe, warm and dry with rents kept down as low as possible”

Council housing in Lambeth is not up to the standard that you deserve. Labour is proposing to bring in the £220 million needed to meet the Decent Homes target and give tenants more control over spending to ensure it will be spent properly. This huge investment will bring every council home up to a decent standard so they're weatherproof, heated, secure, have good bathroom and kitchen facilities. To manage this spending Labour has bid to set up an arms-length management organisation (ALMO) which will be controlled by tenants. Lambeth Labour is opposed to the privatisation of housing stock and an ALMO is the only option available to the council where all council homes will still be 100% owned by the Council. Council tenants and leaseholders all over London have introduced AMLO’s and have seen massive improvements in the quality of their homes as a result – Labour believes Lambeth residents deserve the same.

The Lib Dems are against bringing in the money and want council tenants to stay living in squalid and sub-standard homes. Only Labour believes in better council housing, and only an ALMO will make sure we get it. That is why Labour and tenants all over Lambeth are campaigning together for a successful ALMO

Labour’s election pledge: “Bring empty homes back into use and stop the Lib Dem housing sell-off

In his first act as Lambeth’s new Housing chief John Kazantzis ended the sell-off of council owned street properties started by the Lib Dems. During their four years in power the Liberal Democrats sold off dozens of family sized properties owned by the council. Their money raising scam to cover for waste in other areas denied families most in need from the chance of getting a reasonable sized home. Labour believes that family sized properties are an asset that the council should be using to help local families who are struggling to find a decent home. Councillor Kazantzis has instructed officers that no more family sized street properties are to be sold off to private developers as long as Labour is in charge of the council:

Labour’s election pledge: “Repairs done on time and to the quality you expect”

Labour will introduce a system to check repairs have been done properly before paying contractors for them and compensate residents when appointments are missed. Labour Councillors are also in the process of giving residents more control over repairs priorities by setting up resident-led Local Repairs Panels. We also pledged to “Double the number of housing offices where housing areas are too big and remote”. Cllr Kazantzis has instructed officers to sub-divide the Clapham and Stockwell Housing office area.

Labour’s election pledge: “Crackdown on crime with anti-social neighbours, drug dealers and squatters evicted fast”

To achieve this we have developed a new introductory 6 month tenants contract which allows the council to ask people to leave if their conduct is not satisfactory. By working to bring in huge government investment we will also ensure that proper security doors and lighting will be fitted to every estate in Lambeth . We are also working much closer with the police so that we can close down crack houses and drug dens faster than under the Lib Dems. In addition a hotline has already been introduced so that all residents can report illegal sub-letting

Share you views on this and other local issues in the Lambeth Forum and be kept informed about local issues by emailing subscribe@lambethlabour.com.

To let us know your view on this issue, get help from your local councillor, or discover how you can help Labour in Lambeth, please complete the form below.