Southwark housing boss quits after Lib Dem enquiries expose more selective licensing rule-breaking

Following investigations by the Southwark Liberal Democrats, Cllr Michael Situ has today resigned today as Cabinet Member for Housing. His departure follows the discovery that he had not complied with the borough’s own landlord licensing rules. 

This is the second senior Labour figure to quit in less than six months following housing scandals. Former Council Leader Kieron Williams resigned earlier this year amid mounting criticism over Labour’s record on housing. 

The Liberal Democrats had in March this year called the first extraordinary meeting in 18 years to force a vote of no confidence in the council’s leadership over repeated housing scandals, including the Regulator of Social Housing’s findings of serious failings.  

In August, after national revelations about Labour Homelessness Minister Rushanara Ali and her eviction of tenants, Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain wrote to the Leader of the Council seeking confirmation that all Labour councillors who are landlords were compliant with relevant regulations. No reply was received. 

On Sunday, in light of the Rachel Reeves licensing case and the continued lack of clarity from the administration, Cllr Chamberlain referred the matter to the Monitoring Officer and asked for it to be formally looked into.  

This comes the day after last night’s council assembly, where the Labour Leader refused to say whether tenants in the Rachel Reeves case would be supported in reclaiming the rent they may be entitled to, instead repeating the council’s standard line on licensing. 

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain said: 

“This is the second Labour Councillor to have to resign from the cabinet in less than 6 months over Labour’s housing crisis. They will now be forced to find their 7th housing cabinet member in just 6 years. Back in August, we asked the council leader to confirm that all Labour councillors were in full compliance with relevant landlord regulations. We did not receive a reply, and following our investigation we've found that the housing cabinet member has in fact been breaking their own rules. We subsequenlty logged a formal complaint with the council’s monitoring officer and asked her to investigate. 

Labour promised “zero tolerance” for rogue landlords. Yet when their own Chancellor knowingly failed to get a licence for more than a year, that zero tolerance became very forgiving. And now we learn one of the same councillors responsible for enforcing these rules was also a rule breaker. Labour have broken their promise time and again. They think it’s one rule for them and another for the rest of us.”