A year ago I obtained some startling figures on the extent of Labour’s failure on affordable housing in the borough.

In the financial year 2015/16 only new affordable homes were approved 165. This compares with 1,511 in 2013/14 – the most recent figures for when the Council was run by the Conservatives. Given that Labour was elected on a promise to increase the supply of affordable housing that is an astonishing betrayal.

A year later what about the figure for 2016/17? The Council refuses to tell me.  It says that it would be “prejudicial to the council” to provide it.

That doesn’t sound like a great improvement, does it?

At least a year ago council officials had the professionalism to admit failure. Why the change? With the council elections in May some may suspect political pressure to suppress inconvenient truths being allowed into the public domain….