Simon Hogg led his social gathering to a landmark victory in 2022, however sources say he may quickly be toppled by fellow councillors
Wandsworth Council will quickly have a brand new chief if an anticipated problem from with its majority Labour group to present group and council chief Simon Hogg is profitable, with a call more likely to be made at a gathering scheduled to happen later this month.
Sources say Hogg’s fellow Labour councillors Kate Inventory and Rex Osborn have been in search of help upfront of the group’s annual normal assembly, as a result of happen on 22 April, although it could be that solely one among them ultimately stands within the election for group chief. Neither have to date responded to On London‘s makes an attempt to contact them.
Inventory is Hogg’s fellow consultant of Wandsworth’s Falconbrook ward and the council’s cupboard member for youngsters, and Osborn represents Tooting Broadway ward and chairs the council’s normal functions committee.
In Could 2022, Hogg led Labour to its first victory in Wandsworth since 1974, depriving the Conservatives of a borough that had lengthy been one among their London and nationwide flagship native authorities.
Labour at the moment has 34 councillors in comparison with the Conservatives’ 23, and one Unbiased. The Tories are hoping to regain management on the subsequent full borough elections in Could 2026. London by-elections for the reason that normal election final July have seen Labour shedding help.
Below Hogg’s management, the council has continued the Conservatives’ custom of setting low Council Tax charges, and can cost Band D households £990 in complete for the monetary 12 months 20025/26 – the capital’s lowest. It has claimed success for its Cleaner Borough Plan, saying this has elevated recycling and enabled more cash to be spent on cleansing providers, and promoted “energetic journey”, with extra highway area being allotted for unique bicycle use. It was chosen by Sir Sadiq Khan to be London Borough of Tradition for 2025.
On housing coverage, the council has lately proposed modifications to its Native Plan, which it argues would lead to personal builders offering better numbers of houses for social lease, although this has been opposed by Metropolis Corridor, which has argued that it could have the alternative impact.
Wandsworth has lately been criticised by the Regulator of Social Housing, which discovered “severe failings” in its responsibility to satisfy legally-required well being and security requirements for tenants, reminiscent of round 40 per cent of its 17,000 social rented houses not having had {an electrical} security check and nearly 1,800 “overdue fireplace security remedial actions”. The regulator additionally discovered that Wandsworth “doesn’t have updated data on the situation of most of its houses”.
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