‘It’s clear that the Tories aren’t taking the housing disaster severely’ as Southwark misplaced 81 council properties to ‘proper to purchase’ in 2022

Newest figures from DLUHC have proven that Southwark misplaced 115 council properties to Proper to Purchase scheme in 2022/2023, but used the proceeds of these gross sales to accumulate simply 34.

The information revealed that Southwark had 4th highest variety of proper to purchase gross sales in London and the third highest distinction between loss and replacements.

Beneath Proper to Purchase guidelines, tenants are in a position to purchase their properties off the council underneath sure standards and reductions. However till lately, councils might solely spend as much as 40% of proper to purchase receipts on changing that inventory.

In a concession to an extended working Liberal Democrat marketing campaign, the federal government launched a 100% retention, with the caveat that it’s only for 2 years from 2022, and with varied strings connected that particularly have an effect on councils in London.

With the affect that that is having regionally, the Southwark Liberal Democrats are calling on the federal government to make the change everlasting in addition to addressing the difficulties that London councils are going through.

This knowledge was revealed just some days earlier than Southwark’s Housing Director, Michael Scorer, introduced his resignation. Chief of the Southwark Lib Dems has made a press release calling for him to get replaced as quickly as attainable with a purpose to get management of Southwark’s quite a few and main housing crises.

Southwark Lib Dem housing spokesperson Cllr Emily Tester stated, “The Council must ditch the spin. It has already been uncovered for underneath delivering on their guarantees to construct new council properties, and now it has to face the info that they’ve misplaced extra council properties than they’ve acquired with proper to purchase proceeds.

The Southwark Liberal Democrats are demanding the federal government completely lengthen the 100% retention of proper to purchase receipts – in addition to abolishing the additional guidelines that apply to councils in London.

“It’s clear that the Tories aren’t taking the housing disaster severely, however Southwark Labour have to exhibit they’re additionally dedicated to lowering our 17,000 properties ready record.”