Years-Long Waiting Lists For Social Housing In Lambeth

A severe housing shortage in Lambeth means people are waiting for a council home for years, with one resident joining the list in 1975. According to a Freedom of Information request, someone joined the list 44 years ago and has yet to be given social housing. Lambeth Council said the oldest applications “include people who are adequately housed and therefore have no priority for social housing, and who are not actively seeking rehousing but remain on the list at their own request.”  Nearly 30,000 people are waiting for a council home in the borough.  Read more on the Wandsworth Guardian website.

https://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/18061394.years-long-waiting-lists-social-housing-lambeth/

Anger over Decision to Sell-Off Housing Co-Ops

Campaigners against Lambeth Council's decision to evict residents of housing co-operatives and auction off the properties are to stage a protest.  Lambeth United Housing Co-op and other groups claim the council is "destroying" 40 years of history by dismantling the housing co-ops, which were set up in the late 1970s and early 1980s when abandoned and decrepit council homes were handed over to residents.  One resident’s efforts have boosted the value of a small house in Stockwell from almost nothing in 1980 to around £700,000. In a statement ahead of the protest, Lambeth United said: "Lambeth’s ‘recall’ of ‘shortlife’ housing means that members of these co-ops (including OAPs and other vulnerable people) are being taken to court so that the council can gain possession of their homes – homes that co-op residents have maintained across this 40-year period – and sell them on the open market, at auction.”  Read  more on 24dash.

Council Plans to Move Homeless Families to Margate

A London council is considering moving homeless families to Margate, one of the country’s economic black-spots. The news has triggered concerns in the seaside town, which already has a large number of children in care, that it could face increased demand for social services.  Lambeth council said it was exploring offering some homes and flats in Margate on a temporary basis to people who needed somewhere to live. The council insisted the plan was not about saving money by using cheaper accommodation outside the capital and was unrelated to the Government’s introduction of a £400-a-week cap on housing benefits. Read more on the Evening Standard website.

Councils to Increase Rents By 5.1 Per Cent on Average

Just three of the 25 top stock-owning councils in England will increase rents below government-set guidelines for 2013/14.  The vast majority of council tenants will face rent hikes of between 4.5 per cent and 6 per cent. The average increase will be 5.1 per cent.  Of those councils with at least 20,000 homes, just Lambeth, Leicester and Nottingham councils have elected not to apply the maximum increase possible.  Read more on Inside Housing.

Whitehall Accused of ‘Crazy’ Hypocrisy

The government has been accused of hypocrisy after attacking a council for spending £600 on a welfare cuts awareness campaign, while spending nearly £1 million itself promoting the right to buy.  Conservative MP John Glen complained to the district auditor about Labour-led Lambeth Council spending £600 on leaflets informing residents about welfare reform. Brandon Lewis, local government minister, later described the £600 spend as ‘money wasted on this scare campaign’. Michael Gelling, chair of the Tenants’ and Residents’ Organisations of England, described the government’s position as ‘crazy’. He said many tenants are unaware of all the changes coming in. He said: ‘Councils have an obligation to inform their residents.’  Read more on Inside Housing.

Council Transfers 1,400 Homes

A resident-led housing association in the West Midlands is celebrating the transfer of 1,400 homes from Lambeth Council, following a successful resident ballot. Walsall-based WATMOS Community Homes was set up by a group of tenants in 2003 following the transfer of homes from Walsall Borough Council. It now manages eight estates in the area. Following an aspiration of tenants on three tenant-managed estates in Lambeth to set-up a community association, their appeal was picked up by WATMOS, who will now set up central support services in the borough as well as a Lambeth board made up of residents from the three estates. The transfer, says WATMOS, will bring new jobs to the area, improve the local economy and see an investment of £24 million over the next five years to improve the living conditions on the estates. Read more on 24dash.

Council Decides To Retain ALMO

Lambeth Council will retain its ALMO after a consultation on its future. In April 2010 Labour councillors told Lambeth Living it must improve or face closure following complaints about the quality of repairs and the time taken to re-let empty homes. The council set up a housing commission in February to explore co-operative housing management models and find ways to raise £257 million to complete its decent homes work. The commission approved the recommendation that the ALMO - which manages more than 34,000 homes for the council - should continue to provide housing management services up until the end of its current contract in 2014. Read more on Inside Housing.

Homeless Judgement Welcomed

A Court of Appeal judgement calling on councils to take urgent steps to meet their legal obligations to homeless 16 and 17 year olds has been welcomed by Shelter. The judgement concludes a case brought against Lambeth Council by a young man, TG, for failing to meet its legal obligation to provide him with ongoing care and support when he was a homeless teenager. A ruling back in 2009 called on local authorities to make housing and social services work together to provide homeless teenagers with ongoing help beyond just housing support. But in its judgement, released on Friday 6 May, the Court of Appeal concluded that Lambeth Council had failed in its legal obligations to TG and had denied him ongoing care and support. Lord Justice Wilson said that the case should 'serve to advertise the need for all local authorities to take urgent steps to remedy any such failure.' Read more on the Shelter website.

Homeless Judgement Welcomed

A Court of Appeal judgement calling on councils to take urgent steps to meet their legal obligations to homeless 16 and 17 year olds has been welcomed by Shelter. The judgement concludes a case brought against Lambeth Council by a young man for failing to meet its legal obligation to provide him with ongoing care and support when he was a homeless teenager. A ruling back in 2009 called on local authorities to make housing and social services work together to provide homeless teenagers with ongoing help beyond just housing support. But in its judgement, released on Friday 6 May, the Court of Appeal concluded that Lambeth Council had failed in its legal obligations to TG and had denied him ongoing care and support. Lord Justice Wilson said that the case should 'serve to advertise the need for all local authorities to take urgent steps to remedy any such failure.' Read more on the Shelter website.

Struggling ALMO Loses Chief Executive

The chief executive of Lambeth Council’s troubled ALMO has resigned. The departure of Cathy Deplessis, chief executive of Lambeth Living, was confirmed at a board meeting. The ALMO manages the council’s 34,000 homes. Ms Deplessis’ departure comes less than a year after ruling Labour councillors gave the ALMO a year to improve or be put under new management. The council is reportedly dissatisfied with the ALMO’s performance in voids and repairs. Read more on Inside Housing.