Southwark Labour REJECT chance to make progress on tackling climate emergency

Labour Councillors in Southwark have voted down plans to create a £13m retrofit grant fund for low-income households put forward by the Liberal Democrat opposition.

At last night’s budget-setting full council meeting, the Liberal Democrat opposition group proposed an amendment that would have created a £13.3m fund to help low-income households retrofit their homes, reducing emissions and reducing energy bills.

The scheme would be funded using the remaining £13.3m left unallocated in Southwark’s £25m climate change reserve, which Labour had only spent £11.7m of since creating it in 2019.

Last year, Southwark Labour decided to turn down funding from the Government’s social housing decarbonisation grant despite having their bid accepted.

The amendment also would have created a £5m Climate Emergency Community Fund which be given to communities to spend on capital projects which will have a positive impact on tackling the climate emergency.

The Liberal Democrat group also called for the £15m of unallocated local developer contributions (CIL) be released immediately to invest in local climate initiatives.

Labour councillors voted unanimously against the amendment.

Southwark Liberal Democrat councillor and GLA candidate Irina von Wiese, who proposed the amendment, said Labour had “once again shown a shocking lack of ambition in tackling the climate emergency”.

Commenting, member for Borough & Bankside ward Cllr Irina von Wiese said:

“Just one week after the national Labour Party ditched their climate pledge, our Labour council here has refused to make real progress in tackling the climate emergency. By investing in retrofitting homes, we can reduce emissions contributing the climate change whilst reducing household bills and tackling damp and mould. The policy makes perfect sense and the funding was right there in a pot Labour seem determined not to spend.

“Releasing unspent CIL and create a Climate Emergency Community Fund would give power back to residents as we aim to go greener, faster in Southwark.

“It is so disappointing that our plans were voted down by Labour, who have once again failed to turn talk into actions on the climate emergency.”