Labour Investment in Lambeth’s Housing is paying off

Lambeth Living with the aid of Labour investment are set to reach their target of only having 1% of homes empty by 31st May 2011. In a massive drive to improve housing in Lambeth, the Labour Group made fixing empty properties a key manifesto commitment and set out to make sure Lambeth Living hit this target.

Over the last year investment from the Lambeth Labour administration has enabled Lambeth Living to bring over 700 properties back into use. This Labour administration is now housing nearly 1000 more households compared with 4 years ago.

Bringing empty properties back into use is just one element though and thanks to sustained lobbying efforts Lambeth was awarded £100.5 million pounds over four years to help bring our homes up to decent standard and provide the necessary investment for new windows and doors.

Lambeth Cabinet member for Housing Cllr Lib Peck said:

Even though the government have slashed our housing Decent Home money from £258 million to just over £100 million I am extremely pleased that the Labour Administration and Lambeth Living have been able to restore so many properties for families that need them. We still have a long way to go but this is a definite step in the right direction.

Latest Tory cut ‘risks increase in violent youth crime’

Lambeth Labour have issued a warning that the latest Tory cuts to Lambeth’s Youth Offending Service risks fuelling a surge in youth crime in the borough.

Lambeth was dealt a blow last week after the Government announced it would be making cuts of over 20% to its Youth Offending Team, despite having one of the highest levels of youth offending in the country. These draconian cuts will reduce the ability to identify and divert potential young offenders, exposing our communities to an increase risk of violent crime. The Youth Offending Team offers young people an alternative to a life of crime and in making this cut the Coalition is likely to blight the lives of Lambeth’s most vulnerable young people.

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Cllr Pete Robbins, issued the warning as a Tory Youth Justice Minister, Crispin Blunt MP, visited Lambeth Council to see Lambeth’s Youth Offending Service. Cllr Robbins demanded a meeting with the minister, and set out how these short-sighted cuts will risk higher levels of youth disaffection and negative behaviour, leading to higher levels of offending. Experts confirm that the cost of repairing the damage caused by higher levels of youth crime far outweigh the savings made by short-sighted cuts like these.

Cllr Pete Robbins said: ‘Safety is the number one concern of Lambeth residents, and this latest Tory cut could cause huge damage to our recent progress in reducing crime and helping divert young people away from gangs. I don’t see how the Tories dare to claim they are interested in preventing youth crime at the same time as cutting the service. I am pleased the minister had the opportunity to see the fantastic work that Lambeth does, but unless he realises his Government is putting it all at risk then it will have been a wasted trip.’

He also added, ‘To add insult to injury, these latest cuts have been made with just one month’s notice - that’s no time at all to find ways to mitigate the worst impact.’

Cllr Robbins and Cllr Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth Council, have today written a joint letter to Justice Secretary Ken Clarke, Education Secretary Michael Gove, and Home Secretary Theresa May demanding that they reverse the cut, and pointing out their decisions are likely to put their stated aim that fewer young people should be sent to prison in serious doubt.

Labour secures millions for Brixton homes

Labour has secured over £100 million to improve sub-standard homes in Brixton and across Lambeth. Local Labour councillors spent months lobbying Government ministers for funding to complete upgrade works on 15,000 homes that need new windows, doors, kitchens, bathrooms and central heating to bring them up to minimum standards.

Brixton Hill Ward councillor Steve Reed wrote to Government ministers to press the case for Lambeth’s tenants. The money will come through over the next four years, although there is disappointment the Government is delaying half the funding until 2014, and the total sum available is less than half the amount needed to complete work on all substandard homes.

Cllr Reed said: "I am pleased our hard work has delivered some good news for Lambeth’s tenants. It’s not right people should be left to live in sub-standard homes. This money is a real boost but it is less than half the amount the Labour Government promised so we still have a significant challenge ahead of us."

He added: "It’s disappointing the Government is delaying this funding while bringing forward their cuts, but we welcome this news. Labour councillors and local tenants made such a strong case together that even this Government found it hard to ignore us completely."

The money means Lambeth Council will be able to carry out more window replacements programmes, like the one planned for Dumbarton Court on Brixton Hill, as well as works to upgrade tenants' kitchens and bathrooms and install central heating.

All change at Lambeth customer centres and call centre

The customer centres and call centre opening hours have changed

The new opening hours are:
Brixton Customer Centre (based in Birxton Hill ward)
Address: 18 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RL
Monday: 9am to 5pm Tuesday: 9am to 5pm Wednesday: 9am to 5pm Thursday: 9am to 7pm Friday: 9am to 5pm
Closed Saturday and Sunday

Gracefield Gardens Customer Centre
Address: 2- 8 Gracefield Gardens, Streatham, London SW16 2ST
Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm
Closed Saturday and Sunday

Lambeth Service Centre/call centre
General enquiries: 020 7926 1000 Available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Closed Saturday and Sunday

Customers can call various out-of-hours emergency services outside of the core opening hours.

Extra Police for Lambeth’s Streets

Crime is residents’ number one concern and Police reorganisation strategy, known as Operation Hannah, will go live from Monday February 14th. Over 100 extra police officers will be assigned to six areas, covering the whole borough, that will increase visible policing, get more officers on the beat and provide an even greater focus on local issues such as anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Rachel Heywood Lambeth cabinet member for Communities and Community Safety said “Operation Hannah will go a long way to help the fight against anti social behaviour in Lambeth and significantly enhance local neighbourhood policing at a time when police number are being cut across the rest of the UK. Ensuring safer communities in Lambeth is a key priority for Labour administration and the additional police constables will provide a visible presence and safety net as well as helping reassure residents across the borough.’

Under operation Hannah all 21 wards in Lambeth will be partnered with others to make 6 clusters, called Local Policing Teams, with each cluster receiving at least an additional 14 police constables. The LPTs will also be working alongside, boosting the Safer Neighbourhood Teams, who will remain committed to tackling crime in their wards.
Residents in Lambeth will benefit from extra visible policing at a time when the Tory led coalition is cutting funding to services and the Lib Dems reneged on a deal to provide 3000 extra police.

News of Operation Hannah comes on the back of the announcement that Lambeth is going to continue funding its special police team to tackle crime hit neighbourhoods. The Anti-Social Behaviour Action Team, set up last year, is made up of 22 PCSOs and they can be rapidly deployed across the borough, another addition to Labour’s manifesto commitment to zero tolerance of anti-social behaviour.

Labour wins cash boost for Lambeth homes

Labour has secured over £100 million to improve sub-standard homes in Lambeth. Labour councillors have spent months lobbying Government ministers for funding to complete upgrade works on 15,000 homes that need new windows, doors, kitchens, bathrooms and central heating to bring them up to minimum standards.

Labour’s Lib Peck, Cabinet Member for Housing, and Council Leader Steve Reed both wrote to Government ministers repeatedly to press the case for Lambeth’s tenants. The money will come through over the next four years, although there is disappointment the Government is delaying half the funding until 2014, and the total sum available is less than half the amount needed to complete work on all substandard homes.

Cllr Lib Peck said: “I am pleased our hard work has delivered some good news for Lambeth’s tenants. It’s not right people should be left to live in sub-standard homes. This money is a real boost but it is less than half the amount the Labour Government promised so we still have a significant challenge ahead of us.”

Cllr Steve Reed commented: “It’s disappointing the Government is delaying this funding while bringing forward their cuts, but we welcome this news. Labour councillors and Lambeth’s tenants made such a strong case together that even this Government found it hard to ignore us completely.”

Central London Labour Leaders condemn government's cuts to local councils

The three Labour leaders of Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark Councils have issued a joint statement laying out their opposition to the huge cuts for local councils announced today by the Coalition Government. As part of the settlement for local government the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, has cut funding to the three councils by millions of pounds.

Between them the three council leaders represent nearly a million people including some of the most deprived communities in the country. Today’s settlement is not the first government decision that will disproportionately affect people living in inner-city areas, but comes on the back of changes to welfare, higher education and social housing.

Cllr Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth Council, Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham and Cllr Peter John’s statement:

“Between us we represent some of the most deprived inner-city areas in the UK and almost 1 million people. The Tory/Lib Dem government’s announcement today to cut council funding by millions of pounds is a hammer-blow to our boroughs and hit s our people hard. This was not an inevitability but a short-sighted political choice; it was not an unavoidable outcome but a calculated decision to put dogma ahead of decency.

“We will each work with local residents to try and minimise the pain of these cuts but we are united in our opposition to them. Today's decision will force all Councils to cut highly valued services. We share local people's anger about this, and will stand alongside our communities through the challenging months and years ahead”.