Ahead of the Autumn Statement last year an emergency meeting was called by the District Councils Network to highlight the scale of temporary accommodation and the increasing financial pressure it was putting councils under. As a result of that meeting 119 councils signed a letter to the government calling for support. They called for an … Continue reading The temporary accommodation crisis – “a fertile source of human misery”
Government consultation on “reforms to social housing allocations”, publicised as “British homes for British workers”
Liz Davies KC is a barrister at Garden Court Chambers, specialising in housing law and in particular law on allocation of social housing and homelessness law. She is the co-author of Housing Allocation and Homelessness: Law and Practice (Luba, Davies, Johnston & Buchanan, LexisNexis, 2022, 6th edition). This blog was published by Garden Court Chambers … Continue reading Government consultation on “reforms to social housing allocations”, publicised as “British homes for British workers”
Most councils pessimistic about net zero because of national approach
A survey for the Local Government Association found action to tackle climate change was being “strangled” by the current arrangements under which councils must bid against each other for an array of Whitehall funding pots. The survey found two thirds (67 per cent) of councils were not confident in hitting their net zero targets, putting … Continue reading Most councils pessimistic about net zero because of national approach
Labour needs to break with austerity, not continue it
"Councils cannot provide the services nor the council homes that are needed if they are not funded on the basis of social needs." At the launch of Labour's local government campaign Keir Starmer was asked if a Labour government would plug the £4 billion funding gap of local authorities over the next two years; the … Continue reading Labour needs to break with austerity, not continue it
Worthing to introduce a selective licensing scheme
This is Councillor Emma Taylor's speech on her proposal to introduce a selective licensing scheme for private landlords in three areas in Worthing. "This report demonstrates Worthing Council’s ambition to better protect our citizens by tackling poor standards in private sector homes. The proposal is to develop a selective licensing scheme that will enable our … Continue reading Worthing to introduce a selective licensing scheme
Why I support the Labour Campaign for Council Housing
Bell Adeiro-Addy is the Labour MP for Streatham. The necessity of a campaign for council housing has never been greater. With a chronic lack of investment into affordable social housing, innumerable numbers of people are being forced into the private rental market where Section-21 No-Fault evictions are rife, landlord abuses and neglect are endemic, and … Continue reading Why I support the Labour Campaign for Council Housing
Mick Whitley calls for ‘wealth tax and genuinely progressive tax reforms’
Mick Whitley, Labour MP for Birkenhead, is supporting our Open Letter for resolving the local government and housing crises. Here are extracts from his speech to Parliament in response to the budget. “The British public understand what this government does not, that you cannot cut your way to growth. They remember how the Tories ideologically … Continue reading Mick Whitley calls for ‘wealth tax and genuinely progressive tax reforms’
Local government financial crisis: 19 councils granted “Exceptional Financial Support”
Nineteen councils have been given “Exceptional Financial Support” for the next financial year, 2024/25 and 8 for this financial year, 2023/4. The term “support” sounds like like government money, but in fact it is merely permission to borrow or to sell off assets. This may stave off councils issuing section 114 notices until after the … Continue reading Local government financial crisis: 19 councils granted “Exceptional Financial Support”
The housing record of New Labour – a speech by Paul Watt
"So in other words what’s happened is this... the political party which created this part of the welfare state (council housing), cut it off at its knees – and – they didn’t build any more.". This is a speech by our member Paul Watt, from 2016. It gives a good overview of the disastrous housing … Continue reading The housing record of New Labour – a speech by Paul Watt
“Take back control of the decisions about where they live”
This is reproduced from the Greater Manchester Tenants Union website. Greater Manchester Tenants Union Continues Work With Unit 38 Architects In December we welcomed back Unit 38 Architects to work with members in two of the key neighbourhoods where we are carrying out long term community organising, Hulme, and central Rochdale. Working together with wide groups of … Continue reading “Take back control of the decisions about where they live”
Labour Campaign for Council Housing 