MP Hughes promises support to Heygate residents

4.02.29pm GMT Thu 4th Feb 2010

Simon Hughes, member of parliament for Walworth's Heygate Estate attended the general meeting of tenants and residents last Thursday 28th Jan, after last year encouraging residents to keep their association going at least until this spring, by which time everybody should have moved out of the estate. The Heygate Estate, which is the subject of the agreement between Southwark Council and Lendlease and is scheduled for demolition as part of the Elephant and Castle regeneration at the end of January. So far had 1128 families have been successfully relocated to new houses. There are now fewer than 70 families - some tenants and some leaseholders - waiting to move to new homes.

Simon Hughes gave residents an up to date report on the numbers of families moved and still waiting to move - in the absence of council officers who had not attended the meeting. In addition to the many families Simon is already helping he agreed to help all other families in their negotiations with Southwark for a new home.

After the meeting Simon Hughes said:

"After bereavement and divorce or separation, it is generally believed that moving home is third most stressful activity families have to go through. As the numbers of people left on the Heygate become very few and it is more difficult for full services to be maintained on the estate, it is really vital that council officers are sensitive and sympathetic to the personal needs of each family moving off the estate. Many families of course have lived there for many years.

"I have this week written to Southwark's Chief Executive to make clear that, as well as housing officers, there must be somebody independent of the housing and regeneration departments to support every family as they make decisions about which future home to choose. I and my colleagues and staff will also willingly make sure that nobody is forced to move to new a home that is clearly unsatisfactory."