Lib Dem/Tory run Southwark Council last night agreed to delay the regeneration of the long awaited Elephant and Castle yet again, with no end in sight for this much needed work.

The Council’s Executive had said that tonight’s meeting would be yet another final deadline for agreeing a final deal for regenerating the Elephant and Castle with its development partner Lend Lease. Yet again the deadline has passed, and no deal has been signed. Following the executive’s failure to get any closer to signing the deal over the last two weeks, since the last deadline was missed, opposition Labour councillors have branded the Council’s handling of this major contract as “chaotic”.

The Council has agreed to carry on with more of the same, and refuse to set any more deadlines.

Labour Regeneration Spokesman, Cllr Chris Page, speaking after the meeting said:

“Two weeks ago the Lib Dems told us they were confident that the wait was almost over, now they’ve come back, yet again, saying they need more time. They have not kept to a single deadline, so this time they’re simply refusing to give us one. People around the Elephant and across South London are sick and tired of waiting for the regeneration to get going.

“For two years the Lib Dem/Tory coalition have been telling us that they’re close to signing a deal, but we’re still waiting. They’re tired and have run out of steam.  If Cllr Nick Stanton didn’t think there was going to be an agreement, he should have told us, he should have said that we’re no longer working to the same timetable. You just can’t expect people to be kept in a permanent state of anticipation for two years; it’s not fair, it’s not honest and it means people lose faith.

“The Council are refusing to publish a timetable, but even if we could see progress being made, which we can’t, how could we ever trust the deadlines and timescales that the Lib Dems and Tories suggest? Again and again the coalition has set deadlines and missed them, set deadlines and missed them.

“Regeneration in Southwark is now in total chaos, with an Executive totally out of their depth, the director of major projects resigning, and still no deal on the table.  There has been a massive lack of political leadership, and this failure rests firmly with the Leader of the Council, who has so far dodged any accountability, instead blamed everyone else, but still delivered nothing, and just the promise of more dither and more delays.”