A SENIOR Harlow Labour councillor has hit back at political comments by Tory MP Robert Halfon on office block conversions.

Cllr Chris Vince said: “Harlow Labour support Robert Halfon’s efforts to put pressure on his own government to finally do something about office conversions, seven years after the legislation was passed.

However, his frankly inaccurate comments on ‘London Labour Councils’ detract from the real issues which caused this situation for so many families in Harlow’s former office blocks. This situation is entirely down to the Tories stripping power away from local councils through Permitted Development Rights and the housing allowance cap.

We have been doing everything we can as a local party to fight and campaign on this issue. Whilst Robert Halfon inaccurately complains about Labour controlled council’s in London – the Leader of the Council has spoken and campaigned to them. He has spoken to Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem controlled councils in London and the surrounding area who use converted office blocks in Harlow. We have convinced many to sign a pledge to stop using them and Enfield Council promised to rehouse all their residents already in Harlow’s office blocks.

Where we have been able to, we have blocked further offices from being converted – though this has been very difficult, as the legislation is deliberately designed to freeze local councils out of any knowledge or control over office conversions.

Let’s remember that this was Tory government legislation deliberately designed to give big businesses the right to convert these blocks without the say of local councils and local people.

Permitted development rights stripped power away from local councils, whilst the 5% cap on housing allowance stripped away the financial power of councils to be able to house people. In London and the surrounding area, this problem has been acute.

Conservative government policy has led to the mess we are currently in and we are glad that Robert Halfon has finally come over to this view and is working to change. It is a shame that his government seem ready to ignore him. The Tory Government and its most senior advisor have already said – ‘we’ll take an axe’ to planning law. Also, their withdrawal of the Whip from Julian Lewis this week, a respected Tory MP for 23 years – shows that this government has utter contempt for any backbencher who steps out of line.

“I recently delivered a food parcel to one such permitted development and the conditions that I saw there left me feeling distraught. Inaccurate attacks on “London Labour councils” do nothing for the people living in these blocks – They require action – We’re glad the Robert Halfon is finally following our lead and taking action on this, however we fear it may have come far too late”.

Cllr Chris Vince