Issue - meetings

To consider any requests received in accordance with Standing Orders.

Jacob Secker addressed the Cabinet on behalf of the Broadwater Farm Residents Association.  He requested that Cabinet reject the proposals for Broadwater Farm as they would lead to a large increase in rent for new homes which would negatively affect current and potential tenants.  The proposals were likely to disproportionately affect people from BAME backgrounds.  The report adopted a dismissive attitude to those who would not be able to afford the new, more expensive homes and instead argued that they would not have to move into the new homes if they could not afford the rent.  Mr Secker stated that this would expose the Council to challenge under the equality act, as no one should be prevented from renting council housing due to low income. 

Mr Secker referred to the EQIA, which set out that the rent for the new homes could be up to 50% of market rent – which for a 3 bedroom property would be beyond the social rent cap.  Page 179 of the report set out clearly that people from BAME backgrounds could be disproportionately affected by the rent increase, and the mitigations set out were considered by Mr Secker to be absurd.  He added that the proposals for the estate were discriminatory and asked the Council to reconsider the plans, set rents equal to current rents, and, given the inequality of proposals, appoint an independent lawyer with a strong background in equalities and civil rights to oversee the whole process, including the letting of the new homes.

In response to the deputation, Councillor Bevan stated that some of the cost to regenerate would need to be recovered by increased rents.  He asked Mr Secker whether he had an alternative suggestion on how to recover the costs without increasing the rents.  Mr Secker responded that it was not known whether the people in the most housing need would be able to access the new properties due to the higher rents, and that residents were told in 2018 that funds would be available to build all of the new homes.

The Cabinet Member for House Building, Place-Making and Development responded to the deputation.  The proposal was to build 300 homes at 100% Council rents.  The estate currently had 10% family homes, which would increase to 30%.  The EQIA report stated that overall there would be a positive impact on the BAME community.  £100million would be provided by the Housing Revenue Account, and an additional £70million would be invested into refurbishing the remainder of the estate.  Every borough in London used the formula set by the Government to calculate rents.  The Cabinet Member appealed to the residents association to work with the Council to put the proposals in place and improve Broadwater Farm