Southwark 'reverses' policy to appoint housing boss

The local authority has come in for strong criticism recently, after fire safety chiefs said it had not carried out suitable fire risk assessments on three tower blocks. Enforcement notices were issued following a blaze at a Southwark block where six people died in July.

The council said the creation of the head of housing strategy and options role is not a result of the fire at Lakanal House.

Councillor Kim Humphreys, executive member for housing, said: ‘The post of housing strategy and options is a new regeneration position, combining the functions of two roles based in the regeneration and neighbourhoods department - head of housing strategy and regeneration and head of community housing.

‘This change will enable a more streamlined and effective approach to the council’s strategic housing function, including housing regeneration schemes and the housing needs of its residents.’

Staff voted to strike after the council decided in January 2007 to merge the housing and environment departments. The workers said the housing section, which had just less than 900 staff, should stay separate.

Southwark Labour’s housing spokesman councillor Ian Wingfield said: ‘I welcome the decision to hire a new head of housing in this borough.

‘Since the council scrapped the housing department and made scores of experienced housing staff redundant, there has been an absence of leadership at the core of our housing services.

‘That decision to scrap the housing department and merge it with environmental services was like a botched operation, with one head trying to control two bodies. As a result, vitally important jobs slipped through the middle and no one was ultimately responsible for it, there was no one to be held to account.’

He said the decision to create this post signalled a reversal of the Liberal Democrat and Conservative coalition’s policy.

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