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Haringey cabinet member resigns over development vehicle
A member of Haringey Council’s cabinet has resigned over the controversial Haringey Development Vehicle (HDV).
Peray Ahmet, cabinet member for the environment, sent a resignation letter to council leader Claire Kober, telling her there was “no mandate to continue with the divisive and rightly criticised Haringey Development Vehicle”.
Ms Ahmet, who initiated the council’s landlord licensing scheme, argued that the council ought “not to take major decisions in the run-up to an election”.
She pointed out that only four of the 10 current cabinet members are standing for re-election in May, a result of a recent wave of deselections by the local Labour Party.
She added: “I urge you not to continue to take major decisions in advance of the local elections, which in the words of the shadow chancellor, may tie the hands both of the next Labour Group in Haringey and also the next Labour government.”
In response, Ms Kober accused Ms Ahmet of being disingenuous by implying that she had opposed the HDV for longer than she had, pointing out that she had previously voted in favour of the proposals.
Ms Kober added: “As far as I am aware, a ‘protocol’ that sitting councils – or for that matter governments, either local or national – should not take major decisions in advance of elections does not exist. Administrations at all levels of government are elected on the basis of a manifesto and work throughout their time in office to deliver against those public commitments.
“I was not at the event with the shadow chancellor on 21 December so I did not hear his remarks, but I fail to see how a decision of any council – even Haringey – could tie the hands of a current or future national government.”
Many councillors in favour of the HDV were deselected at the end of last year. The HDV involves a transfer of council property to a development company jointly owned by the council and private developer Lendlease.
Before Christmas, Haringey Council signed a development contract with Lendlease on a £1bn development scheme opposite the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium. The scheme, which will require the demolition of the Love Lane Estate, is planned to deliver 2,500 homes, 30% of which will be affordable.
