Labour's priorities on housing exposed

12.31.49pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 25th Jan 2007

Sheffield Council tenants deserve better

Labour controlled Sheffield City Council is spending more money on housing management costs than day-to-day repairs to council houses. The figures were revealed in the Housing Revenue Account 2006/07 report approved today by the Council's Labour Cabinet.

The report shows that this year a total of £40.2m is being spent on the management fees and costs but just £30.7m is being spent on day-to-day repairs to homes. Liberal Democrats have reacted to the news by calling on Labour to re-assess their priorities on housing.

Liberal Democrats believe that Labour are spending too much on management within the Town Hall rather than front-line services and improvements. They want to see the management of the city's housing stock to become less bureaucratic.

Cllr Bob McCann, Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet member for Neighbourhoods, said:

"These figures show us exactly where Labour's priorities lie. They are overseeing a housing budget which spends more on management costs than it does actually carrying out day-to-day repairs on homes"

"We are calling on Labour to re-assess their priorities and start to tackle the management bureaucracy within housing to redress the balance. We need to see a reassessment of priorities that puts the emphasis on delivering for tenants"