• FOLLOWING the tragic fire at Daleham Gardens where one person lost their life and survivors have been rendered homeless, I asked Camden Council for a list of all the residential properties which they own in Hampstead Town ward, details of the fire protection measures, details of when the properties were last checked, and any works which were recommended.

Unfortunately this information was not available and, at time of writing, it has not been provided to me although I have been promised the same in the next few days.

Surely something as important as this should be readily available and set out with dates of inspections and works carried out or recommended.

I met a Camden Council tenant living in a one-bedroom flat in a council-owned property. She is a single mother with two children.

The flat and building are in a poor condition. She explained that the council had neglected the building and her flat for years and there were concerns about failures of safety and fire risks.

I raised this with Camden Council Housing whose officer carried out an inspection of the property and flat. It proved to be the case that corrective works were immediately required such was the seriousness of the situation. Why does it take me to instigate this and how many other properties are in a similar state of disrepair?

The question needs to be whether Labour-controlled Camden Council are slum landlords if they are not maintaining their properties and cannot readily account for their properties and their maintenance and fire protection measures.

CLLR STEPHEN STARK
Conservative candidate for Hampstead Town ward