You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Under-fire London council appoints new boss of housing department
Southwark Council has appointed a new strategic director of housing amid concern about an estate refurbishment and a number of maladministration judgements over the past 12 months.
Hakeem Osinaike has been appointed to the role at the London council, having previously held the top housing role at Brent Council since 2017.
He takes on the position as a difficult time for Southwark Council, which has had a number of severe maladministration findings over the past 12 months.
In May, the council was ordered by the Housing Ombudsman to pay almost £10,000 in compensation to two residents following two findings of severe maladministration. In one case, a pregnant resident and a young child were left without heating for six months during the coldest period of the year.
READ MORE
In July, a further two findings of severe maladministration were made to the council after a tenant was falsely accused of vandalising his home despite Southwark’s own repair logs contradicting the accusation.
In addition to these findings, reports also emerged at the end of last year of a number of issues with the £10m refurbishment of Devon Mansions near London Bridge.
The investigation into this work has seen council staff suspended over suspected fraud and concern about how the scheme ended up around £4m over budget, according to local media reports.
On his new role, Mr Osinaike said: “I’m looking forward to working with Southwark’s hard-working housing teams to build on what they’ve achieved, and ensure we channel compassion and empathy into everything we do.
"Housing is about so much more than bricks and mortar. Putting a roof over someone’s head transforms lives and families, and I can’t wait to start working with Southwark’s communities, members and staff to deliver what local people need.”
He will join Southwark Council on 1 March.
Kieron Williams, leader of Southwark Council, said: “Southwark wants the very best for its tenants, and we need a strategic director who shares that ambition and can help deliver our plans. We have already built more council and social rent homes than any other council in recent years, and our ambitions don’t stop there.
“We are committed to building more and also making sure the homes our residents live in are safe, dry and warm. I know Hakeem will work hand in hand with residents to transform our housing offer, putting them at the heart of all our decisions.”
Sign up for our Council Focus newsletter
Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters
