Seven more steps towards a better Lambeth

Labour leader of Lambeth Council

This week Labour councillors approved seven more major projects that will make a huge contribution to regenerating Lambeth, making it a fairer and safer place to live. Labour councillors have hit the ground running following their election in may of this year, and have already taken many key decisions to turn the council’s fortunes around.

This week Labour held a public Cabinet meeting to announce some major new initiatives. They were:

Delivering a new secondary school in Brixton
Labour Councillors gave the go ahead for a plan that would relocate a fleet of waste trucks from the Shakespeare Road site so that a brand new school can be built there and opened in September 2009. The building of the school had been delayed for years by the previous Lib Dem Tory council because they were dithering over where to move the waste trucks to make space for the new school.

£200 million bid for Housing
Labour gave the official go-ahead for a plan that could deliver £200 million of investment in Lambeth’s Housing stock and keep it all under council ownership. An expression of interest will now be put in to the Government for Lambeth Housing to be run by an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) with strong tenant representation. With Lambeth Housing left in financial chaos by the Lib Dems and Tories, setting up a new organisation is the only safe way to bring the money in fast and ensure it’s spent properly. The creation of full ALMO status will only go ahead with strong tenant backing and Labour Councillors are planning a large scale consultation.

Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre
Labour Councillors agreed a plan which will deliver redevelopment of Streatham Ice rink and Leisure Centre. The council has now entered into an agreement with Tesco which will speed up redevelopment work and procure money to fill a £1.2 million funding gap in the plans left by the previous Lib Dem-Tory Administration

Demanding more recycling from waste strategy
Labour has refused to rubber-stamp a multi-borough waste strategy because it would not deliver enough recycling. Lambeth will be lobbying the other boroughs – all of them Tory-controlled - urging them to boost the level of recycling. Lambeth’s Lib Dem and Tory Councillors were planning to sign up to the anti-green strategy if they had been elected in May.

Myatt's Fields Park Regeneration
Labour has agreed to provide extra money to ensure the Myatt’s Field Estate regeneration project goes ahead – The project will eventually provide over £100 million of investment in one of Lambeth’s biggest housing estates.

Olympics
Labour Councillors agreed a plan which will ensure the Borough reaps the benefits of the London Olympics in 2012. This includes a Board to co-ordinate activities, a ‘Tourism Plan for Lambeth’ and an exciting annual sporting and cultural festival for young people in the Borough.

Health and Social Care integration
Labour announced that the local Health Partnership and the council’s social care services would be managed by a single Chief Executive. Co-ordination of the services will mean, for example, that adults in care will receive better co-ordinated services from a range of different providers.

Councillor Steve Reed, Labour Leader of Lambeth Council said:

“It is going to take time to turn Lambeth around after four wasted years under the Lib Dems and Tories, but I am proud of the way that Labour councillors are moving so fast to deliver our manifesto commitments”

“Delivering a new school in Brixton and starting the process to bring in hundreds of millions of pounds of investment in Lambeth’s housing are examples of how electing a Labour Council has given a huge boost to this Borough. We have hit the ground running and there will be no slowing up from here.”

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