Lewisham Homes' Chief Executive turned up at a meeting of the Council's Housing Sub-Committee without the draft business plan which Councillors had been promised. Instead, Leiwsham Homes Service Improvement Manager Maureen Corcoran was left to provide Councillors with a thread-bare PowerPoint presentation, while other senior officers and the Deputy Mayor looked on.

Commenting, Councillor Robson (Lee Green Ward) said, "Lewisham Homes is the new name, but for tenants it's the same old story. The organisation was only set up in January, but just months into their existence, they've already slipped behind schedule. This is typical of Lewisham Labour's record on housing."

Councillor Robson took the well-paid management team to task at the meeting, demanding an explanation, and an extra meeting of the committee to discuss the business plan. Lewisham Labour Group Chair Alan Hall was forced to admit that he had prior knowledge that the business plan wasn't ready, but hadn't informed the rest of the committee.

Concluding, Councillor Robson said, "This committee was set up after last year's damning Audit Commission Report to make sure Lewisham Homes had a plan to put right years of Labour neglect. Tonight's meeting proved that no such plan exists. The prospect for tenants is bleak under Labour."

3rd May 2007


Notes

The Overview and Scrutiny Housing Sub Committee was set up after the damning Audit Commission Report into Lewisham's housing service was uncovered by the Liberal Democrats last year.

The Housing Sub Committee met on the 2nd May and was due to receive a copy of Lewisham Homes' draft business plan. No such business plan was provided with the papers for the meeting, or at the meeting itself.

After Councillor Robson challenged the Lewisham Homes Chief Executive, he and his officers admitted that the business plan was not ready, and may not be available until July this year - two months after the housing sub-committee was due to conclude its investigation.