News from Siân Berry: Londoners back giving estate residents a vote on demolition

People living on estates who want a vote over the future of their homes have had their case backed by Londoners who said they support proposals for resident ballots, in independent research commissioned by Sian Berry AM. [1]



In the survey, conducted by YouGov, 64 per cent of Londoners supported the Mayor’s new proposals for ballots to be a condition of his funding, with just 13 per cent against letting residents decide in this way. 24 per cent of respondents did not know or didn’t have a view.



Sian Berry AM asked the Mayor today to put a hold on any new funding contracts during the ‘transition’ period, while the proposals for binding ballots are out for consultation until 3 April and not yet in force.



The Mayor said: “I will be signing no new funding contracts until the consultation has ended and we’ve published the final guide.”



Sian Berry said:



"If you live on an estate it makes sense that you get a say in what happens to your home. My research shows a majority of Londoners think this is fair. Importantly, my sample was representative of all Londoners not just people who live on estates whose homes are directly threatened with plans for demolition



"Londoners living on estates have waited a long time to be allowed a say over their homes – but if the Mayor had signed off bad schemes during this interim period that would have been a real betrayal of the principle he has embraced as a result of effective campaigns supported by Assembly Members here. I am glad that he has promised very clearly today to hold off on new deals and support residents’ rights to a ballot."



The Mayor’s consultation ends on 3 April and the Mayor’s final funding guidance is expected to come in within months. Sian’s draft response to the consultation is here.