Extraordinary Meeting of Council to Address “Serious Failures” Blocked by Labour

Southwark Labour have blocked the Liberal Democrats’ calling of an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council to address “Serious Failings” found by an independent housing watchdog. 

This comes after the Government said it was “concerned” by the regulator's findings, responding to a letter from Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain to the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government. 

The Liberal Democrat group had used an unprecedented constitutional procedure to call for an extraordinary meeting to address the findings, and also to call for a lack of confidence in the Labour leadership. 

However, Labour have blocked the meeting being called. 

The Liberal Democrats have lodged an appeal, but have slammed the decision, saying that it shows that Labour are “allergic to accountability”.

Commenting, Cllr Victor Chamberlain said:

“It’s astonishing that once again, our Labour council have chosen to duck from facing the music when it comes to their housing failure. The regulator even highlighted transparency and accountability issues in their report, so to shut down discussion is even more obscene. Not only are Southwark Labour London’s worst Landlord, they’re also clearly allergic to accountability.”