Lambeth Tenants in mass walk-out at Town Hall

11.07.50pm GMT Tue 18th Nov 2008

At Saturday's Lambeth Tenants conference at Lambeth Town Hall almost half the 200 tenants and leaseholders present staged a protest walk-out after the speech by Council leader Steve Reed who was continuously heckled and barracked by angry residents.

Before they stormed out Tenants Council chair Ros Munday intervened from the floor to read out the petition (see below) protesting about rent increases of up to £14 a week, cuts in front line service and jobs

This followed a large picket of those attending the conference, the first organised by Lambeth Living, the arms length management company set up by the Labour council to manage Lambeth Housing. As people arrived they were asked to sign the petition.

The unprecedented protest came after an angry meeting of Tenants Council on Thursday at which a motion of no confidence was passed in Lambeth Living, accusing it of "lack of partnership working with residents in order to balance the HRA account and their lack of understanding the issues currently affecting all residents in the Borough".

"Tenants and leaseholders are furious with this Labour administration which has brought Lambeth housing services to its knees," commented Liberal Democrat housing spokesperson Jeremy Clyne. "Attempts by Labour to stage manage their intended back-slapping charade were defeated by tenants and leaseholders angry about enormous rent rises, massive cuts in jobs and front line services, proliferating voids, the sell-off of council homes and disastrous financial mismanagement."

"It is pointless holding a conference which deliberately avoids addressing these enormous issues."

This year's 'residents' conference was organised by Lambeth Living without involving Tenants Council, which is the democratically elected voice of Lambeth's tenants. Before Lambeth Living (the ALMO) took over management of the Council's homes Tenants Council always chaired the annual residents' conference and, along with Leasehold Council, decided the theme and programme of events.

Tenants Petition to Lambeth Council

We, the undersigned council tenants and leaseholders demand: No above formula rent & service charge increases. Council must reverse their decision to increase average charges by up to £14 a week from April 2009. Lambeth Living must halt their proposed cuts in front line services and jobs. Bring all resident participation back under direct management of the council.