Exposed!!!

A short while ago, we raised the point that Newham has failed to start any new council or social homes for the past three years. We understand that this revelation caused several members of the executive to be upset. So they should be.

New council housing was a central theme to the programme Fiaz was elected on.

We soon saw this watered down, from new homes completed to new homes started. Now they don’t even bother starting them.

In the fantasy world of Newham councillors however, they continued to debate whether the percentage of new homes for social/affordable rent should be 35% or 50%.

The Labour Left and the Greens on Newham Council were proud to trumpet the success of their motion, which all councillors voted for, regardless of party. The motion required that 50% of all new developments be reserved for council or social housing.

Exposed!!!

As we noted at the time, “50% of  nothing, is nothing”.

And then we learned this. A programme to build almost 900 new homes contains not a single social home within it.

This works out roughly, to being 435 homes short of the target they have set themselves.

At one level, this exposes the ludicrous posturing of the left and the Greens. At a more fundamental level we have to ask what the heck is going on? How is it that a major housing development can go ahead without a single new home for people on the waiting list?

In July and November, Mayor Fiaz had a warning shot in the shape of two by-elections. These were underpinned by widespread dissatisfaction in the state of council services. It now seems that we can add new housing to the long list of failing services from Newham Council.