Southwark Council’s audit into social housing promises from developers is now on its website, three years after a watchdog found the authority wasn’t supervising approved schemes.

It follows a 2016 complaint to the Local Government and Social Care  Ombudsman from pressure group the 35% Campaign, who say they discovered a number of developments had “missing” social housing. 

The watchdog found: “The Council failed to have in place a procedure for supervising compliance with Section 106 Agreements but it recognised that failing and has remedied it by agreeing to an annual audit.”

It also hoped the council will be able to complete its first one-year audit “into 2017”.

However in 2017, the authority announced it would publish its audit in the spring of 2018, according to reports in the Southwark News.

It said it would look as far back as 2010 at 709 separate affordable housing agreements, covering 3,256 homes.

But on Tuesday (September 17), Southwark’s cabinet heard the audit was complete and was on the Council’s website.

In a public question, Jerry Flynn, from the 35% campaign, asked: “The Council agreed with the Local Government Ombudsman in 2016 that there would be an annual audit into compliance with conditions for  provision of social housing through s106 agreements. 

“As the ombudsman’s decision was made three years ago can the leader say when the results of these audits will be published?”

Cllr Johnson Situ, the cabinet member for planning, replied:  “It has been carried out and it’s up on the website. 

“We do identify it’s a challenge across London and we are a leading borough in addressing these challenges.”

Southwark Council leader, Cllr Peter John, then asked Cllr Situ “to check we were complying with annual audits if that is what the ombudsman said.”