A row over affordable housing has erupted again after a Labour group motion aimed at increasing the borough's stock was rejected by Conservatives.

Under existing rules, developers must provide 50 per cent social housing in developments of ten units or more.

At a full Barnet Council meeting last Tuesday, opposition councillors called for this threshold to be lowered or scrapped entirely to tackle the housing shortage.

But their bid was rejected by the majority.

Last year only ten per cent of new builds in Barnet were affordable homes - the worst rate in London.

Councillor Ross Houston, Labour spokesman on housing, claims council leaders are contradicting themselves by arguing that targets deter housebuilders from providing affordable units.

He said: "The Conservative council is not negotiating enough affordable homes on new developments.

"By rejecting the 50 per cent affordable homes policy on new developments and refusing to get rid of housing thresholds, the Conservatives are sending a message to developers that it's okay not to provide affordable housing in Barnet."

He believes there is more urgent need than in other boroughs to improve the affordable housing provision, and said a deal could be struck with developers as part of the planning process.

"The council's position is contradictory. When are they going to run out of excuses for not providing or delivering affordable or shared housing?"

Council leader Mike Freer said it was Ken Livingstone's "arbitrary" targets to make half of new housing in London affordable which were putting developers off - not the thresholds.

"When the artificial threshold of ten units was imposed, developers started building nine," he said.

"Does Labour really think any builder who wanted to build two flats will make one for sale and one to be given to a housing association?

"Barnet will deliver hundreds of affordable homes over the next few years by harnessing builders wanting to build profitable schemes."

KEVIN BRADFORD