Mayor admits failure on housing targets - Doocey

1.57.00pm GMT Wed 12th Mar 2008

The Mayor of London admitted that 'we have failed on housing targets' under questioning from the London Assembly Liberal Democrats today.

The Mayor was unsuccessful in reaching his target of 10,517 affordable new homes last year by almost 6000 residences. The Mayor blamed this failure on individual London boroughs for ignoring his target of 50% for affordable social housing.

Housing Spokesperson for the London Assembly Liberal Democrats, Dee Doocey said:

"The Mayor has tried to grab headlines boasting about his achievements on housing, but today he has admitted that he has failed to meet the needs of Londoners. He has not even met his own targets.

"The Mayor may blame the shortfall in his targets on individual boroughs but ultimately, the buck stops with him. There is little evidence for what the Mayor has actually done to persuade boroughs to co-operate with his housing targets.

"Rather than passing the blame, the Mayor should accept responsibility for this failure and start working with local councils to make urgent improvements."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

What the London Plan promised:

• 30,050 new homes a year.

• 15,025 (50%) to be affordable; of those:

• 10,517 (70%) to be social rented housing

• 4,507 (30%) to be intermediate homes

What was actually delivered:

• In 2006/7 a total of 31,430 net new homes were delivered in London, (+1,380)

• 9,209 (34%) new homes were affordable; (-5,816) of those:

• 4,420 (48%) were social rented housing; (-6,097)

• 4,789 (52%) were intermediate homes; (+282)