Decent Homes delay confirms widescale Council cutbacks for Sheffield tenants

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 26th Oct 2005

Problems in the Decent Homes Programme

The Decent Homes Programme, which aims to deliver improvements to all Council homes in Sheffield, has been held up by a costing, specification and scope of work review. The review confirms fears that scope of work to be carried out on homes has been downgraded from previously agreed levels.

A report that was considered by Sheffield Homes last week revealed the widescale review. The 'Decent Home Programme progress report' notes the amount of properties completed under the programme is below target in the first quarter of 2005/06 as 'schemes were deliberately held back for the costing, specification and scope of work review'.

The news comes despite claims from the Labour Council that 'most of the programme is going well'. The controlling Labour group caused outrage at the last meeting of Council when they refused to listen to a group of tenants who had attended to complain about cutbacks in their area.

Liberal Democrats on the Council have demanded urgent meetings with Sheffield Homes representatives to gain further details on the review and what it means for tenants across Sheffield. Lib Dems are calling on Labour to apologise for their broken promises.

Cllr Diane Leek, Shadow Cabinet member for Neighbourhoods, said: -

"Sheffield Homes and the Labour Council are moving the goalposts for tenants in the Decent Homes Programme. They are breaking their promises and downgrading the scope of work to be carried out, which had previously been agreed with tenants and residents"

"The cutbacks mean that tenants in the first few phases have received more than those who are still waiting for work will. This was always warned against and we were told that it wouldn't happen, unfortunately it has and Labour should apologise"

"It seems strange that Labour believe that the programme is 'going well' despite these huge problems, it appears that they are not interested in the hundreds of tenants who will not see all the improvements they where promised. Indeed, even when tenants fill the public gallery at Council Labour still won't listen"

"Liberal Democrats will be meeting with Sheffield Homes to demand answers on details of the review, and what it will mean for tenants across Sheffield. Labour are not holding Sheffield Homes to account, they are quite happy to sit on the sidelines whilst this once in a generation opportunity to improve all our Council homes to the same excellent standard is slipping through our fingers"