Labour-run Southwark Council are to act on two new reports into failures to manage major works on three council estates, after issues were raised by local residents and Labour councillors.
Two reports were commissioned by Labour cabinet members after tenants and leaseholders raised concerns with the quality and cost of works on their estates, and worked closely with Labour councillors in Rotherhithe and London Bridge & West Bermondsey to have the problems independently investigated.
The reports found serious concerns with projects at Devon Mansions, Canada Water and the Kirby Estate, concluding that poor management of contracts led to unacceptable outcomes for residents.
Southwark Labour’s Cabinet have instructed the housing department to act on the recommendations, which include implementing a new way for residents’ concerns to be escalated and creating incentives to ensure contractors understand value for money is essential – to prevent overspend in future.
Cllr Sarah King, Leader of Southwark Labour, has made improving the council’s housing department a top priority, making the council a good landlord and setting the standard for landlords in Southwark to prevent these issues from occurring again.
Tenants and leaseholders are central to these ambitions, and Labour are putting them at the heart of driving up standards in the council.
Reacting to the report’s findings, Cllr Sarah King said: “The failures raised by our residents on these estates are unacceptable, which is why we are working with our tenants and leaseholders to make sure this can never happen again.
At the heart of my ambition as leader is building trust between our residents and the council. Tenants and leaseholders know their homes and estates better than anyone, which is why they need to be central to our plans for the council to set the standard for what it is to be a good landlord in our borough.”
Local Labour Councillors for London Bridge & West Bermondsey said: “Residents at Devon Mansions and Fair Street properties were badly let down by the council during these major works. That’s why we as ward councillors supported residents to raise these issues so they could be properly investigated.
These reports are an important step forward in giving residents the answers they deserve. We remain determined that residents should only pay for works done to a high-quality, and that the recommendations in these reports are fully implemented so our local residents never have to go through failings like this again.”
Local Labour councillors for Rotherhithe said: “In light of the findings in these reports we welcome the Cabinet taking control of the issue and will continue to work with residents to find the best way forward.”
The full reports and recommendations can be found on the council’s website by clicking here.