Southwark Council Accused Over Estate Repairs Overspend

Key Points

• Southwark Council faces accusations of failing to supervise repair projects on three estates—Canada, Devon Mansions, and Kirby estates—which ran years behind schedule and millions over budget.
• A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the Southwark Liberal Democrats revealed that the “major works core group”, a panel of councillors tasked with supervising costs, was disbanded around 2020, coinciding with the start of major repair programmes on the estates.
• The core group included the Deputy Leader of the council and the Cabinet Member for Housing, and it stopped meeting just as projects on Canada, Devon Mansions, and Kirby estates began.
• The council states it dissolved the panel just before the Covid-19 pandemic, when all major works were paused, and replaced it with “officer-led oversight functions” upon resumption.
• An independent review last year deemed the works on the three estates a failure, citing overspends totalling more than £7 million due to “contractual mismanagement” and poor project oversight.
• The review highlighted that cost increases were signed off without proper approval, and in some instances, works could not be verified as having been carried out.
• Following the report, the council apologised to tenants and leaseholders and pledged to review every estate that underwent major works over the last decade.
• Major works encompass large-scale housing maintenance on exterior and communal areas, such as roofs, windows, external structures, communal energy supplies, and door entry systems.
• Southwark Council manages a vast housing portfolio, much of it built in the 1950s and 1960s, necessitating regular refurbishment.

Southwark (South London News) January 30, 2026 – Southwark Council stands accused of abandoning proper oversight of multimillion-pound repair projects on three housing estates after a key supervisory panel was disbanded around the time works commenced, leading to significant delays and overspends, according to a Freedom of Information request by the Southwark Liberal Democrats. The “major works core group”, comprising senior figures including the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, ceased meeting in 2020 as programmes began on Canada, Devon Mansions, and Kirby estates, which later ran years late and exceeded budgets by over £7 million. An independent review last year blamed “contractual mismanagement” and inadequate scrutiny, prompting a council apology and commitment to review past projects.

Why Was the Major Works Core Group Disbanded?

The FOI request submitted by the Southwark Liberal Democrats uncovered that the “major works core group” stopped functioning in 2020, precisely when repair programmes kicked off on the Canada, Devon Mansions, and Kirby estates. This panel was responsible for supervising costs and progress on major housing maintenance initiatives. As reported in coverage of the story, the group included high-profile members such as the Deputy Leader of the council and the Cabinet Member for Housing, underscoring its importance in decision-making.

The council has defended its actions, stating it dissolved the panel just before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, at which point all major works projects were paused. Upon resumption, the authority replaced the councillor-led group with “officer-led oversight functions”, which they claim fulfilled the same supervisory role. No specific journalist attribution appears in the primary source material for this council statement, but it aligns with official responses to the FOI findings as detailed across reports.

What Are Major Works Programmes?

Major works, often termed housing maintenance programmes, involve substantial interventions on exterior and communal elements of council properties. These typically cover roofs, windows, external structures, communal energy supplies, and door entry systems. Southwark Council oversees an extensive housing portfolio, with many buildings originating from the 1950s and 1960s, thus requiring ongoing refurbishment to meet modern standards and ensure resident safety.

The projects in question on Canada, Devon Mansions, and Kirby estates exemplify such programmes, intended to address long-standing deterioration in these mid-20th-century blocks. Delays and cost overruns in these specific works have drawn sharp criticism, highlighting broader challenges in managing ageing stock amid fiscal pressures.

How Did the Projects Overspend and Overrun?

Last year’s independent review delivered a scathing assessment of the repair programmes on the three estates, pinpointing overspends exceeding £7 million in total. The report attributed these failures squarely to “contractual mismanagement” and poor project oversight. Crucially, it noted that cost increases were authorised without requisite approvals, raising questions about financial controls.

Furthermore, the review’s authors could not verify that certain works had even been executed in some cases, fuelling concerns over accountability and value for money. Tenants and leaseholders bore the brunt, facing prolonged disruptions from delayed repairs while budgets ballooned. This damning verdict, emerging from an impartial probe, has intensified scrutiny on the council’s housing department.

What Has Been the Council’s Response?

In the wake of the independent review’s publication, Southwark Council issued a formal apology to affected tenants and leaseholders. The authority acknowledged the shortcomings and committed to a comprehensive review of every estate that received major works over the preceding decade. This pledge aims to identify systemic issues and prevent recurrence.

The council’s earlier explanation regarding the core group’s dissolution—tying it to pandemic disruptions and a shift to officer-led oversight—forms part of this broader response. Officials maintain that alternative mechanisms ensured continued supervision post-2020. While no direct quotes from named councillors appear in the sourced details, the apology and review promise reflect an effort to restore trust.

Who Are the Key Players Involved?

The Southwark Liberal Democrats spearheaded the exposure through their FOI request, positioning themselves as watchdogs on council spending. Their initiative brought the disbandment of the core group to light, prompting accusations of abandoned scrutiny. No specific Liberal Democrat spokesperson is named in the primary account, but the party’s role as requester underscores political opposition to the Labour-led council’s practices.

On the council side, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing featured prominently in the former core group, though individual names remain unspecified in the reports. Tenants and leaseholders, as direct stakeholders, have been central to the fallout, receiving the council’s apology.

When Did These Issues Emerge?

The timeline hinges on 2020, when the major works core group ceased operations amid the onset of repair programmes on the three estates. The Covid-19 pandemic provided context for the pause in works and the panel’s dissolution. Projects then resumed under new oversight structures, only to spiral into delays stretching years beyond schedule.

The independent review materialised last year, quantifying the £7 million-plus overspends and catalysing the council’s response. The FOI revelation, handled by Southwark Liberal Democrats, surfaced recently, reigniting debate as of January 2026.

What Broader Implications Arise for Southwark Housing?

Southwark Council’s housing portfolio, dominated by post-war architecture, faces perennial refurbishment demands. The Canada, Devon Mansions, and Kirby estates saga illustrates risks of inadequate oversight: unchecked costs, unverified works, and eroded resident confidence. The pledged decade-long review signals intent to overhaul processes, potentially reshaping procurement and monitoring across hundreds of properties.

Critics, led by the Southwark Liberal Democrats, decry a culture of lax accountability, with the core group’s demise symbolising diminished political scrutiny. The council counters with pandemic exigencies and adaptive measures, yet the £7 million shortfall underscores fiscal prudence needs. For tenants, prolonged disrepair compounds daily hardships, amplifying calls for transparency.

Why Do Delays and Overspends Persist in Council Housing?

The independent review’s emphasis on “contractual mismanagement” points to deeper systemic flaws: approvals bypassing protocols, works undocumented. In an era of squeezed public budgets, such lapses erode resources for other services. Southwark’s experience mirrors national trends in local authority housing, where ageing infrastructure meets contractor complexities.

The shift from councillor to officer oversight, while pragmatic during Covid-19, invites questions on democratic input. As reported across the story’s facets, the FOI has catalysed discourse on balancing efficiency with rigour. The council’s apology and review vow pragmatic steps, but sceptics await tangible reforms.

How Can Tenants Hold the Council Accountable?

Tenants and leaseholders, already apologised to, stand to gain from the decade-spanning review. Engaging with oversight bodies, like remaining scrutiny committees, offers avenues. The Southwark Liberal Democrats’ FOI exemplifies opposition leverage, potentially spurring further probes.

Councils must navigate resident consultations amid repairs, ensuring voices shape future programmes. The £7 million debacle, with its unverified works, heightens stakes for verifiable delivery. Neutral observers note that robust, transparent mechanisms—beyond paused panels—remain essential for stewardship of public housing.