![]() |
Vauxhall Liberal Democrats Working for Vauxhall and Lambeth residents all year round |
![]() |
| 11th March 2010 | Vauxhall Liberal Democrats | <info@vauxhall-libdems.org.uk> |
Labour plan to slash Lambeth housing services7.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 25th Jul 2006
The new Labour administration in Lambeth is planning savage cuts to the borough's housing service, which serves some 40,000 tenants and leaseholders. They have announced plans to close down housing offices across the borough - although in their pre-May election manifesto they promised to increase the number of housing offices. At least 80 housing jobs would be lost. "Only two months back into office and Labour have set about tearing up their manifesto commitments with gusto," said Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson Jeremy Clyne. "This is just the sort of thing that brings politics into disrepute." The plan would see the closure of local offices in Clapham, North Lambeth (where both Vauxhall Walk and Minet Library would shut), Upper Norwood (Lunham Road) and West Stockwell (Union Grove). Streatham would lose its office altogether while the whole of Brixton would be reduced to just one office. Saturday opening of offices would end while weekly drop-in sessions enabling tenants and leaseholders to meet housing officers would also be ended. Both these services were introduced by the Liberal Democrat-led administration as part of the successful "reframing" restructuring of the Housing Service. Before the election Labour's manifesto promised to "double the number of housing offices where housing areas are too big and remote". Now they want to make housing offices more remote than ever. At that time, Labour said: "Many of Lambeth's most vulnerable residents often have difficulty in accessing services remotely or via the telephone." Cllr John Kazantzis, now their cabinet member for housing, who is behind the housing office closure plan, said then: "The Council should be working for the residents of Lambeth instead of cutting their services." He said then it would be "unacceptable" if the council were to consider "taking away services and not replacing them." Now he is proposing to do just that. Labour did not stop rubbishing and trying to derail the reframing project which delivered huge benefits to Lambeth tenants and leaseholders. Even the independent Audit Commission judged the changes to have been overall a success, singling out longer opening hours and better access to services, and noting that council tenants and leaseholders were more satisfied with the services they receive as a result of reframing. "We will oppose these cuts. It is impossible to see how slashing services and preventing residents contacting the council can do anything other than damage the interests of tenants and leaseholders," said Cllr Clyne. "Labour are setting about dismantling the reframing improvements, cutting services and putting nothing in their place."
Bookmark this story at:
Related News Stories:Sun 9th Nov 2008: Labour's "ghost libraries" scam in Lambeth. Tue 11th Mar 2008: Former Lambeth Labour Mayor backs Lib Dems. Sun 21st Oct 2007: Labour forcing up council tax even more in Lambeth. Thu 19th Jul 2007: Council housing in Lambeth going backwards. Thu 1st Mar 2007: Lambeth cuts services for vulnerable people. Tue 27th Feb 2007: Labour takes Lambeth backwards to one-star rating. Tue 30th Jan 2007: Lambeth tenants to pay for non-existent services. Lambeth Labour wants to make profit from pensioners. Tue 23rd Jan 2007: Labour Lambeth - a care free zone. Sun 21st Jan 2007: Lambeth Labour slaps parking fees on Council tenants and leaseholders . Tue 18th Jul 2006: Lib Dems demand probe into Labour's housing transfer plan. Tue 20th Jun 2006: Labour's tax credit chaos hits Lambeth families. Mon 27th Feb 2006: Lambeth Labour's poor record on crime. Thu 23rd Feb 2006: Lib Dems freeze Lambeth Council Tax - but Labour mayor demands extra. Tue 13th Dec 2005: Lambeth under Labour - a history of financial incompetence. Mon 24th Oct 2005: Lambeth planning services taken out of special measures. Thu 22nd Sep 2005: Lambeth Labour votes against funding for Safer Streets unit. Wed 6th Apr 2005: Lib Dem Anglin slams Labour's police cuts in Lambeth. Tue 5th Apr 2005: Lambeth Liberal Democrats deal with Labour's legacy of underinvestment. Published and promoted by Matthew Hanney and Vauxhall Liberal Democrats on behalf of Caroline Pidgeon and Vauxhall Liberal Democrats all at Unit 6 Hermes House, 59 Josephine Avenue, London SW2 The views expressed are those of the party, not of the service provider. |