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Housing scheme snub for council
CAMDEN Council was yesterday (Wednesday) on the wrong end of a government snub after being told it could not take part in a pilot finance scheme to improve council estates.
New housing minister Ruth Kelly had invited applications from local authorities to join a new borrowing plan which would have given Camden access to money needed to repair its crumbling housing stock.
Opposition Labour councillors said that the project had capsized because the government does not trust the Conservatives in the new Lib Dem-Tory partnership at the Town Hall.
Deputy leader Councillor Lucy Anderson said: “The Tories have such a bad record with social housing that the government doesn’t want to include them in this pilot. It is the Lib Dems’ fault for getting into bed with the Conservatives.”
Camden has been deadlocked with the government for almost three years over means to pay for repairs. Housing chiefs are way off course in bringing all homes up to standard by a government target of 2010.
This has largely been blamed on tenants’ refusal to allow control of their homes to be shifted from the Home Office to an Arms-Length Management Organisation.
In a statement yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, Lib Dem housing chief Councillor Chris Naylor said: “It is disappointing not be included in this pilot and I now to want speak with ministers about the options for Camden.” |
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