Housing

WHAT WE’VE DONE

Persuaded Labour leadership to give more help to renters by appointing a Tenants’ Champion.
Convinced the Council to sign up to End Our Cladding Scandal’s 10-point plan, despite the Conservative group's opposition.
Attempted to change planning rules to turn the Virgin Active site into a Community Land Trust to access grant funding to provide affordable housing for key workers - rather than private profit for developers.
Forced an emergency scrutiny meeting on uncovering secret plan to dissolve Council’s building company after it spent £2m without laying a single brick.
Proposed a scheme to meet the then current 40% affordable homes target - voted down by Labour, despite Council repeatedly achieving only 13% affordable housing.

WHAT WE’LL DO

Achieve the new 50% affordable homes target by adopting robust affordability and viability criteria.
Turn the Virgin Active site and land owned by Council’s former building company into Community Land Trusts.
Provide real support for renters, through our new Tenants’ Champion scheme, by learning lessons from Richmond Council’s successful experience.
Bring empty homes back into use to cut our temporary housing waiting list by up to 20%.
Start prosecuting rogue landlords.
Work nationally to end cladding and leasehold abuses.
End the Council's practice of offering social housing more than 90 mins from Merton.