News / Politics
‘Escalation panel’ to rule if council housing decision was taken correctly
The political fall-out is continuing from the council’s decision to no longer buy social homes within two council-owned housing developments.
Labour councillors believe the decision was flawed and want a new ‘escalation panel’ – set up as part of Bristol’s new committee system – to determine if it meets the council’s standard for decision-making.
But the Green group claim the decision was delegated to officers by the previous Labour administration, and say Labour are being “financially and socially irresponsible”.
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The argument stems from a decision made by the homes & housing delivery policy committee to remove parts of the Hengrove Park and Baltic Wharf schemes from the council housing development pipeline, following what Labour say was a “behind-closed-doors discussion” between committee chair, Green councillor Barry Parsons; vice-chair, Tory councillor Richard Eddy; and council officers.
Labour councillors say they have not been provided with any evidence to suggest that stepping back from these Goram Homes sites “is an absolute necessity to facilitate the work improving the standard of tenants’ homes, which was the stated reason for withdrawing from these developments”.
Kerry Bailes, Labour councillor for Hartcliffe and Withywood, said the recent decision “puts the council’s whole 30-year council housing plan at risk”.
She said: “The more we learn about this decision, the clearer it is that it needs rethinking…
“It might be the case that withdrawing from these developments is a must-do for the council to continue the improvement works, but we don’t know that.
“If that’s true, then I understand it. But the manner this has been handled and lack of information hasn’t been good enough.”
Labour councillor Kerry Bailes says the recent decision “puts the council’s whole 30-year council housing plan at risk” – photo: Kerry Bailes
Eddy has previously hit back at Labour, accusing them of “shameless carping, hypocrisy and shedding crocodile tears”.
Eddy said Labour was “totally responsible for the appalling housing crisis”, having run the council for eight years before the Greens took over following May’s local elections, as well as the recent damning findings by the Regulator of Social Housing that concluded there were “serious failings” in the standard and management of Bristol’s council housing.
He said: “Labour’s absurd allegations about ‘behind-the-doors backroom deals’ is especially nauseating since every member of the homes & housing delivery committee was informed about likely social housing changes in July.
“This was a far more democratic and transparent arrangement than existed under Marvin Rees’ autocratic mayoral regime before the local elections in May.”
In response to Labour escalating the issue to the escalation panel, Parsons said: “I am disappointed that Labour have questioned the process behind the decision not to purchase social homes from these two developments…
“This escalation does not change the fact that we need urgent investment in our existing council homes, as laid out in the damning judgement from the regulator of social housing, following years of neglect under previous administrations.
“This decision represents a pragmatic and positive choice to contribute our partnership with housing associations to deliver new homes for social rent.
“This partnership will deliver the affordable and social rent housing that our city desperately needs, which will not be subject to right-to-buy, unlike council-owned social homes.
“It is both financially and socially irresponsible of Labour to say we should be diverting money away from making sure that residents are safe.”
Main image: Goram Homes
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