Labour councillor John Woolf

THE recent suggestion from Green and independent councillors that Islington has made little progress on new council and shared ownership homes is nasty and misleading politics.

Indeed, the claim that no new homes were built in the last few years is simply false.

The council’s Delivery Plan – a public document, open to all – shows the facts: seven major housing schemes are scheduled for completion in 2024/26, delivering a total of 181 new homes (110 new council homes will be completed in 2024/25), with a number already built on the Andover Estate.

Islington’s Labour-run council has made substantial strides. Last year, the King Square Estate scheme completed 140 high-quality, energy-efficient homes, 98 of which were for social rent. Other schemes, like Telfer House (2023), Redbrick Estate (2022), and Charles Simmons House (2023) delivered 148 more homes, providing safe, affordable housing for local families.

It’s important to note the Green Party’s active opposition to many of these housing schemes.

In 2018, the Green Party opposed development at Golden Lane Estate. In 2020, they protested against council homes at Dixon Clark Court and Wedmore Estate.

Between March and October 2022, Rod Gonggrijp, a Green candidate in local elections, labelled the Holloway Prison development “monstrous” and “a horror”, accusing Labour councillors of being “selfish”. This active resistance exposes a disconnect between the Green Party’s rhetoric and the urgent need for affordable housing in Islington.

It is also disappointing to see former colleagues, who stood as Labour candidates, and were elected as Labour candidates, now misrepresent the progress we have made as a Labour-run council. Frankly, they should call a by-election.

Building genuinely affordable homes is harder than its ever been. Every council is battling inflation, increased cost of borrowing, depressed sales values, new building safety regulations, and historic underfunding from the previous Tory government.

Not to mention that Islington is already a densely populated borough meaning it’s typically more expensive to build here.

Despite these challenges, we will do our best to build new council homes and buy-back ex-Right to Buy homes.

Given the 16,000 Islington households in desperate need for a new home, we believe the risk of not building and buying is by far the greater risk.

Indeed, the council has secured 550 new social rent homes through tough planning regulations and operates one of the country’s largest Right to Buy buy-back schemes.

In the past year, we’ve purchased 357 ex-Right to Buy homes, with plans to purchase 80 more by March 2025.

And we have commenced discussions with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and with the GLA to access additional funding to purchase more ex-Right to Buy properties.

The reality of the housing crisis in Islington remains stark, with 16,000 households on the waiting list for a council home.

But every home changes lives, providing stability and security for families.

These homes are not just buildings; they form the foundation for better futures.

Criticism that local councils are not doing enough overlooks the complexity of acquiring affordable homes. It requires persistence, vision, and adaptability. Islington’s track record of delivering hundreds of homes, despite obstacles, is an achievement that deserves recognition.

• Councillor John Woolf, Islington’s Executive Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods