Local Lib Dem leader slams Haringey Council as 'failing organisation'

It comes after the council received the worst-possible rating from a housing regulator, reports Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter

Haringey Council and (inset) Luke Cawley-Harrison

Haringey Council is a “failing organisation” according to the borough’s Lib Dem leader.

The stark verdict was delivered as part of a statement yesterday (Monday 9th) from Luke Cawley-Harrison, leader of the Liberal Democrats group at the local authority, following serious concerns raised by the government’s housing regulator in a recent report.

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) issued a damning verdict to the North London council last month, urging it to fix “very serious failings” in its housing provision after being given a ‘C4’ consumer grade – the worst possible score.

Amid a litany of issues was the council’s current backlog of nearly 4,000 overdue “remedial fire safety actions” – including 1,400 categorised as “high risk”.

Following publication of the regulator’s report there were even claims from the current Green administration that – under the previous Labour leadership – the council had “misled” the government’s housing regulator “over fire risk in council estates”.

The minority Green administration came to power in May, following the local election, ending more than 50 years of Labour control at Haringey Council.

In a statement shared with the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) on Monday, Cllr Cawley-Harrison once again expressed dismay at the situation facing the local authority.

The Lib Dem group leader said: “Haringey Council is a failing organisation. It is millions of pounds in debt; has been England’s most complained about council for three years on the bounce; and has faced reprimands from regulators for covering up safeguarding failures in adult social services, and now over health and safety failings in its housing department.”

Cllr Cawley-Harrison, one of eight Lib Dems members of the local authority, continued: “This is not an enviable record. We await the outcome of the internal investigation, which we hope will arrive in the coming weeks and will no doubt shine more light on what has taken place and who knew what.”

Andy Donald, who has been the council’s chief executive since 2022, has presided over a series of controversies relating to the condition of Haringey’s social homes in his time as the local authority’s senior official.

Regarding Donald’s future at the local authority, Cllr Cawley-Harrison said it was “not for opposition councillors to comment on individual personnel decisions, given council officers have no right of reply”.

This sentiment echoes that of a council spokesperson last week, who confirmed that Donald remains in post, adding: “An independent review is being initiated to look at what led to the RSH’s concern that the council was not fully transparent with them.

“Until that is completed it is inappropriate to comment.”

A council press release following Donald’s appointment in April 2022 described his hiring as a “major coup” and said he “is regarded as one of the best chief executives in the capital”.

Donald’s annual salary of £235,584 during the last financial year was an increase of over £7,300 on his pre-tax pay packet from the previous year.

Responding to the RSH findings in October, a Haringey Labour spokesperson said: “Throughout the regulatory period, the council engaged closely with the regulator and as politicians, we were given assurances of positive progress.

“We’re deeply disturbed that the regulator believes they were not provided with full and transparent information by the council. We support a full investigation into what information was shared with the regulator.”

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