Congratulations to ThisIsLocalLondon for this cracking tale of ministerial property intrigue in Southfields. It appears David Blunkett has managed, once again, to ricochet off the boundaries of ministerial propriety by writing a letter, on House of Commons-headed notepaper, to Wandsworth Council registering his disapproval, as "a former resident" of Fulwood Walk, to the council's plan to add some private flats onto neighbouring Clevedon Lodge. His objections appear to be entirely environmental. But what he doesn't mention is that he still owns and currently rents out 7 Fulwood Walk, which backs directly onto Clevedon Lodge. While he gets busy apologising for using Commons notepaper for an entirely private matter, and explaining that he never meant to mislead Wandsworth Council, it turns out that the building work is designed to raise money for the local Linden Lodge School for blind and partially-sighted children:

The council has already released funds from the potential Clevedon Lodge asset for the school, in expectation of being able to recoup it from the sale. The disused Clevedon Lodge was not seen as a fit site for the school to use in the future. Instead, its sale is partially funding a £4million development at the Princes Way school including a 37-bed residential complex, new teaching accommodation, pool facilities and a play area.

Government's freebie housing round-up [May 9]