Labour/Tory Alliance Blocks Lib Dem Plan to Increase Affordable Housing

12.00.00am GMT Sun 1st Feb 2004

A Labour/Tory alliance has blocked an attempt by Lib Dem run Southwark Council to deal with the critical shortage of affordable housing in East Walworth ward and across Southwark.

The Liberal Democrats proposed that up to 50% of housing in new residential developments should be 'affordable'. This was in the Liberal Democrats' manifesto. Currently, developers are required by Southwark Council to provide only 25% affordable housing.

The Lib Dem proposal was tabled as part of the Council's new Unitary Development Plan, but was voted down by Labour and Tory councillors.

Jane Salmon, East Walworth housing campaigner said: "I am appalled that the opposition refused to support the Lib Dems on this. Affordable housing provision is at crisis level in Southwark."

"Sadly, the Labour Government won't give local authorities like Southwark more money to build new homes, and councils like ours can't afford to build them given our tight budgets. We wanted to introduce more affordable housing but the opposition seem to have voted the measure down for purely party political reasons instead of considering what's best for the people of Southwark."