That this Council:-
(a) is concerned that, if passed, the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill would threaten the provision of affordable homes through:-
(i) forcing ‘high-value’ council homes to be sold;
(ii) extending the right-to-buy to housing association tenants; and
(iii) undermining requirements on private developers to provide affordable homes;
(b) notes that there is no commitment in the Bill that affordable homes will be replaced on a like-for-like basis in the local area;
(c) further notes that, whilst measures to help first-time-buyers are welcome, the ‘starter homes’ proposals in the Bill will:-
(i) be unaffordable to families and young people on ordinary incomes in most parts of the country; and
(ii) be built at the expense of genuinely affordable homes to rent and buy; and
(d) believes that the Bill undermines localism by providing new wide and open-ended powers to the Secretary of State over councils, including the ability to mandate rents for council tenants, and, in effect, to impose a levy on stock-holding councils, violating the terms of the housing revenue account self-financing deal.
Minutes:
|
Housing |
|
|
|
It was moved by Councillor Peter Rippon, seconded by Councillor Pat Midgley, that this Council:- |
|
|
|
(a) is concerned that, if passed, the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill would threaten the provision of affordable homes through:-
(i) forcing ‘high-value’ council homes to be sold;
(ii) extending the right-to-buy to housing association tenants; and
(iii) undermining requirements on private developers to provide affordable homes;
(b) notes that there is no commitment in the Bill that affordable homes will be replaced on a like-for-like basis in the local area;
(c) further notes that, whilst measures to help first-time-buyers are welcome, the ‘starter homes’ proposals in the Bill will:-
(i) be unaffordable to families and young people on ordinary incomes in most parts of the country; and
(ii) be built at the expense of genuinely affordable homes to rent and buy; and
(d) believes that the Bill undermines localism by providing new wide and open-ended powers to the Secretary of State over councils, including the ability to mandate rents for council tenants, and, in effect, to impose a levy on stock-holding councils, violating the terms of the housing revenue account self-financing deal. |
|
|
|
Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Steve Ayris, seconded by Councillor Penny Baker, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of a new paragraph (e) as follows:- |
|
|
|
(e) recalls the motion on this topic proposed by the Liberal Democrat group at September’s full Council meeting and therefore proposes that:-
(i) this Council works with other neighbouring authorities and housing associations to oppose the current Government proposals; and
(ii) a copy of this Motion is sent to our local MPs asking them to support the Council’s position; to speak up in Parliament for more social housing and not less and to push for a genuine “one for one” replacement but not at the cost of losing more Council housing. |
|
|
|
On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived. |
|
|
|
The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried as follows:- |
|
|
|
RESOLVED: That this Council:- |
|
|
|
(a) is concerned that, if passed, the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill would threaten the provision of affordable homes through:-
(i) forcing ‘high-value’ council homes to be sold;
(ii) extending the right-to-buy to housing association tenants; and
(iii) undermining requirements on private developers to provide affordable homes;
(b) notes that there is no commitment in the Bill that affordable homes will be replaced on a like-for-like basis in the local area;
(c) further notes that, whilst measures to help first-time-buyers are welcome, the ‘starter homes’ proposals in the Bill will:-
(i) be unaffordable to families and young people on ordinary incomes in most parts of the country; and
(ii) be built at the expense of genuinely affordable homes to rent and buy; and
(d) believes that the Bill undermines localism by providing new wide and open-ended powers to the Secretary of State over councils, including the ability to mandate rents for council tenants, and, in effect, to impose a levy on stock-holding councils, violating the terms of the housing revenue account self-financing deal. |