Merton Council is set to employ an Affordable Housing Officer to maximise opportunities for increasing affordable housing in new developments, aiming to consistently meet a 50% target for affordable housing in new developments.

The council also plans to simplify how residents engage with planning and enforcement services, and review the effectiveness of Merton's Statement of Community Involvement for development planning purposes, which was last updated in 2020.

The decision was made during the council meeting on Wednesday, 17 September 2025, where a motion from the Liberal Democrats was considered. The motion highlighted that housing costs are a significant factor in poverty, with renters in Merton paying an average of 44.8% of their gross salary on rent. It also noted that while the local plan requires 50% of new housing to be affordable, the current administration has not consistently reached the previous target of 40%.

The council was asked to consider several measures, including employing an Affordable Housing Officer, simplifying engagement with planning and enforcement services, enhancing the Tenant's Champion service, extending the selective licensing scheme, supporting housing association tenants and leaseholders, and reviewing the effectiveness of Merton's Statement of Community Involvement.

To simplify engagement with planning and enforcement services, the council is considering:

  • Developing a 'one-stop shop' phone and email service with sufficient resource to triage residents' queries relating to all planning and enforcement matters.
  • Introducing scheduled updates to residents on enforcement matters, which detail expected timeframes.

The council is also considering extending the selective licensing scheme across the borough to improve housing quality in the private rented sector, including Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).

The motion stated that social housing is key to removing people from poverty because it reduces the rent to income ratio. The Liberal Democrat Council Motion 17.9.25 also highlighted that demand for temporary accommodation has increased by over 300% to more than 700 households in the last three years, with 80% of households placed outside the borough.

The council is also considering how its influence might be most effectively used to support housing association tenants and leaseholders.