Labour shoots itself - and Islington - in the foot

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 29th Jun 2006

Labour councillors have tonight prevented a raft of improvements to housing in Islington being introduced. The measures have the support of both Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors, and would:

• Increase the proportion of housing units in all new developments larger than 10 units which must be 'affordable' to 50%

• Insist that all new developments must use at least 20% sustainable energy

The increase to 50% is something that Labour called for strongly in the recent local election campaign.

In addition Labour councillors' action will threaten the 'Planning Delivery Grant' which brings in additional money to the Borough. It will also delay other key planning documents such as the Finsbury Park Area Action Plan.

Labour councillors have done this by 'calling in' the 'Local Development Framework Core Strategy' which will introduce these and many other improvements. This prevents it being approved at Full Council - which will now have to wait until the next Full Council meeting which is on 3 October.

Cllr Lucy Watt, Executive Member for the Environment, said

"Labour councillors are absolutely entitled to contribute their ideas and views to this important local document. But the Council has been carrying out consultation on it now for a year, and in all that time Labour councillors have made no contributions whatever to it.

"At 59th minute of the 11th hour, they have now insisted that it be delayed further simply for their convenience.

Lucy Watt has condemned Labour's action which could delay new affordable homes for Islington

"Delay is always annoying but in this case it will have a real impact on people's lives in Islington. The whole raft of improvements - including their own proposal of 50% affordable housing which is now included in the Strategy - will now have to wait months. In those months many applications will be given approval where these requirements won't be able to apply. This will have a real impact on real people's homes in Islington."

Notes to Editors

1. Labour councillors have called in the report on the Local Development Framework Core Strategy which was approved at the Council's Executive meeting on 22 June. This means that it cannot be discussed at Council on 29 June, and the next normal Full Council meeting

2. Other consequences of the delay caused by Labour will be:

• Delay in agreement of the Core Strategy (CS) will delay Islington moving to 50% of housing developments larger than 10 units being affordable and 20% on sustainable energy

• Other planning documents are dependent on the Core Strategy (CS) and therefore cannot be agreed until it has been agreed. This delay will impact on these documents, most notably the Finsbury Park Area Action Plan

• The Council will need to agree a new timetable for preparation of the LDF with the Government Office for London (GoL). This will require the submission of a further report to the Executive and thence GoL

• Planning delivery grant is, in part, based on our progressing the LDF and this element of the grant will thus be prejudiced by delay

• Islington Council has been identified by GoL as an exemplar authority based on how we are progressing the LDF and currently participating in a DCLG study of best practice. Delay will have an impact on our reputation and therefore the benefits Islington is likely to receive.

ENDS