From a South London reporter.
Rent increases ranging from 3/6 to 12/6 a week - to bo paid in two instalments - were pushed through at the County Hall on Tues, Feb. 19th. Labour holds a two to one majority. The Tories moved an amendment to the motion put jointly by the Housing and Finance Committees, calling for a r@mt rebate scheme (which would have meant the introduction of the differential rent system and the operation of a means test).
Once again the Council's housing revenue deficit of over £4,000,000, in the financial year 1961-1962 was used as the lever to force the Labour majority into acquiescence, The day after the Longford petition against the abolition of the L.C.C, had been presented to Parliament, the Chairman of the Housing and Finance Committees, Mr. N, Pritchard and Mr, R. Goodwin held a Press conference announcing tho Council's intentions, Opposition. -within the Labour Group to the Housing and Finance Committees, and in the main body of the Party was widespread bit not well co-ordinated, Despite this, however, the Finance Committee which has a 2 to 1 Labour majority had to get the casting vote of the Chairman of the Committee before its rec ommendations for rent increases could be passed by # majority of 6 to 5. On the Housing Committeo, the recommendations for the inerease was carried by a small majority. Tenan ®! Associa.tions are being alerted and a’mimber of public meetings are being hold in wrich a number of left-wing Councillors will be speaking on the increases, The rent rise recommendations wore passed by 63 vote to 33, The maximum yote Labour is able to muster is 83. A number of mombers, having spoken out ag.einst the intolerable position into which local authorities are being put by the Goverment policy of high interest rates, high cost of land and biilding and refused to vote the increases, The echo of these rant battles will be felt at the London Labour Conference at the end of March,