Published: 09 February 2012

A LABOUR back-bencher tasked with scrutinising council policy had admitted the party should have done more to warn tenants of the 8.1 per cent rent rise.

Councillor Meric Apak, who chairs the Housing and Adult Care Scrutiny Panel, criticised the government for forcing deep cuts on local authorities, but he added: “We should have raised this with tenants six months ago and talked to everybody.

We could have said: ‘We have to put the rents up by 8 per cent but we could make it 5 per cent if we found ways to make savings elsewhere – where do you think we should make the cuts?’.

It would have allowed people time to put their ideas across.

What we need to show tenants is that next year’s process is already beginning and we work with them all the way through.”

Tenants complained that the rise was sprung on them after a two week window for discussions.

Every political party has been asked to send councillors to a meeting with tenants, organised by the Camden Federation of Residents and Tenants Association, to be held at the Somers Town Community Centre on Monday February 20 at 7pm.

They will be asked what each party is doing to stop the current rise.

Camden Fed chairman Jim Widdowson said: “This rent rise is not on, at a time when wages, benefits and pensions are falling.

Councillors need to stand with tenants against such unfairness.

This meeting is for anyone concerned about housing in Camden.”

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