Southwark Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing has resigned from the post, meaning four department heads in under three years.
A council spokesperson confirmed Cllr Darren Merrill has stepped down and will be replaced by Champion Hill ward councillor Sarah King.
Cllr Merrill, who took up the post in May 2022 after Cllr Stephanie Cryan’s move to finance, has reportedly left to “spend more time with his family”.
His replacement Cllr King currently sits on the Planning Committee and has been in office since 2014.
She has more than 20 years of professional experience working with local councils and other organisations on housing policy.
Reacting to her appointment, Cllr King said: “I cannot wait to get stuck in to this important role, supporting the thousands of residents who live in our homes, the length and breadth of our borough.
“A safe, dry and warm home is a right that should be afforded to everyone and my first priority will be ensuring that we continue to improve our repairs service and keep residents at the heart of everything we do.”
Merrill’s departure marks a tumultuous period for the department, which has pledged to start building 11,000 council homes by 2043 despite difficult financial headwinds.
Meanwhile, the housing revenue accounts – money used to finance repairs and major works – face a £16.7 million forecasted overspend this financial year.
Southwark Council is drawing up an action plan to stabilise the housing revenue accounts.
Cllr King takes on a challenging portfolio which includes major works projects subject to fraud investigations and cancelled regeneration projects.
In December, Southwark Council said it had paused building 206 council homes on the Lindley Estate, Bells Gardens and Sceaux Gardens Estate due to rising costs.
Cllr Helen Dennis, filling in for Cllr Merrill at the time, said the situation was “disappointing but that “the vast majority of new homes” were “on track”.
Cllr Rachel Bentley, the Deputy Leader of the Southwark Liberal Democrat Group, said the change showed the department was in “disarray”.
“This is the latest admission that Southwark’s housing department is in disarray,” she said.
“In light of the major works scandals, maladministration findings by the Housing Ombudsman and the dire state of the Housing Revenue Account, I am not surprised to see him go.”