Cllr Cherry Beath

and the Combe Down Liberal Democrat Team Learn more

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Planning bill needs changes to help Councils tackle the housing crisis

by on 18 April, 2016

We do have a housing crisis on our hands Nationally. We have the effects in Bath, and North East Somerset, The Tory Housing and Planning Bill going through parliament currently has evoked a lot of concern.  

Below is a Cross party letter from the Leaders of Political Groups on the LGA.  I am on a Local Gvernment Association Board (LGA) the LGA is made up of proportionate representatives of all the main parties across the UK. To get on the Boards you need to be a Councillor,  and voted through by Party Members, from across the Country.

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the below was a recent article in the Guardian from Cross Party LGA Leaders:

“We support the bill’s intention to build more homes but are concerned that some proposals run the risk of reducing the number of genuinely affordable rented homes that our local communities desperately need,’ write the LGA leaders.

As the housing and planning bill returns to the Lords, we are throwing our cross-party support behind amendments that we believe are vital to giving councils and the government a better chance of solving our housing crisis.

Many people would like to own their own home. Unfortunately, not everyone is in the financial position to buy. We know from what our residents tell us that homes for affordable and social rent – alongside those for home ownership – will be crucial to helping everyone in our communities access the home they need now, and to providing for future generations.

We support the bill’s intention to build more homes but are concerned that some proposals run the risk of reducing the number of genuinely affordable rented homes that our local communities desperately need.

Proposals forcing councils to make payments to government based on selling council homes will hamper councils’ ability to invest in new affordable council housing and are likely to have the unintended consequence of increasing homelessness and pushing more families into the more expensive private rented sector. At a minimum, we urge peers to back amendments that allow councils to retain enough receipts from every home sold to be able to replace it in the same area.

Current proposals for starter homes carry a risk that a crucial supply of new affordable rented homes will be displaced, and despite 20% discounts they will still be out of reach for the majority of people in need of an affordable home. Councils support measures to boost home ownership, and starter homes are one of the ways this can be achieved, but we are also urging peers to back amendments allowing councils to decide how many starter homes, alongside affordable rented homes, are on each development to ensure they meet the needs identified by councils with their communities.

New homes are badly needed and councils are keen to build them. The Local Government Association believes we will only see a genuine end to our housing crisis if we are able to get on with the job.
Cllr David Hodge Leader of LGA Conservative Group
Cllr Sharon Taylor Deputy leader of LGA Labour Group
Cllr Marianne Overton Leader of LGA Independent Group
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson Leader of LGA Liberal Democrat Group

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