Model Housing resolution for 2025 Labour conference

Here is the text of our model Housing resolution for this year’s Labour conference.

“Conference notes that government’s latest statistics published on July 31st, show a record number of 131,140 households in temporary accommodation. There are also 1.33 million households on waiting lists.

Therefore, Conference regrets that the government’s Social and Affordable Homes Programme proposes funding just 18,000 social rent homes a year. This will not provide homes fast enough or at sufficient scale to reduce the spiralling homelessness figures or the crushing cost of homelessness to councils.

Conference believes that in order to reverse the trend in homelessness figures and to resolve the housing crisis, funding of at least the 90,000 social rent homes a year which Shelter and councils call for, is necessary.

Conference notes that a recent survey of council housing showed 61% of councils have cancelled or delayed housebuilding projects and over a third cut back on repairs and maintenance. That’s why 109 councils have called for £12 billion over 5 years to prevent the deterioration of existing homes.

Conference, therefore, calls on the government to take urgent action to resolve a worsening housing and homelessness crisis by:

• Funding at least 90,000 social rent council homes a year.
• Ending Right to Buy in order to retain vitally needed stock.
• Ending the Local Housing Allowance freeze.
• Providing the funding called for by councils to improve existing stock.
• Ending “affordable rent” and above inflation rent increases for social housing tenants.
• Introducing rent controls to halt excessive rent rises in the private sector.”

This year ‘contemporary resolutions’ are those which are not “substantially covered” by the National Policy Forum Report or NEC Report. Since the NPF Report not published until August 8th, and the deadline for conference resolutions is 5 p.m. on September 11th, CLPs with a branch structure are not in a position to send in resolutions unless branches have special meetings in August. In CLPs without branches, individual members can send in resolutions to CLP meetings.

If members are able to get our resolution on their CLP agenda and it is passed as the CLP resolution for conference, please let us know at labourcouncilhousingcampaign@gmail.com