Housing help with Labour
They're a good first step with several more needed. I'm really pleased they build on several of the points in my housing action plan that I presented to Housing Minister Caroline Flint MP at the House of Commons earlier this year. Next, the Government, working with major housing developers will provide loans of up to 30% of the value of a property, which don't need to be repaid for five years. This is a variant of the HomeBuy scheme I've been calling for - under my plan the loan would only be repaid when the property is sold but this is a fine alternative. Third, Councils like Wandsworth will now have the ability to pay off someone's mortgage debt and in return set an affordable rent instead. This is a massive test for the Conservative Council which has more than halved the number of affordable homes for rent in Wandsworth - something that has massively worsened our local housing crisis. I very much doubt the Tories will suddenly u-turn and step in to help those under threat of losing their homes - but they should. And finally the restrictions on councils being able to build new affordable homes have been lifted. There is now no excuse for the Conservatives to start repairing the damage they have done to affordable housing in Wandsworth. In contrast, we learnt today that the completely unchanged Tories plan to spare the very richest Inheritance Tax - which will now apply to homes worth £2 million or less. This is one of the key choices you will face at the next election: help for hard-pressed workers with Labour or tax breaks for the very richest under the Tories. Days like today, and choices like this are what make me Labour and proud of it. Tell me your housing priorities with my local housing survey. Roehampton: Tory plans rest on just 21 replies!
The Council refused to consult Roehampton properly on their new plans that halve the number of affordable homes for rent in the area, send thousands of cars and lorries down residential Danebury Avenue, cut the number of youth clubs on the Alton from three to just one (on a tiny site), and concrete over the open space and trees. Just 35 people expressed a view and of those from the Alton itself, just 12 supported the council's plans. The Conservatives regard this as a mandate to drive through plans that will impact on the area for generations. I say they've got it wrong - and as they refused to consult I've done so myself. So far, the results I've had differ massively from those the Council is reporting. 95% oppose building on the green space. 81% want more affordable homes, not less. Already I've had far more responses than the 35 the council has so the question is: how much longer are we prepared to let the Tories ignore residents' views for plans they have very little support for, that will cost huge amounts of money and which are likely to actually make things worse. You can give me your views on the Council's redevelopment plans for Roehampton here.
|
Your say in Roehampton Your say in Southfields Saving local gardens All the fun of the festival Why does Putney have so few Open Houses? Putney Place towers out for consultation ..................................... New-look website
stuartking.net has been given a new look over the summer. I hope you'll find the new-look site easier to navigate, better to look at and with more content than before. Take a look around! ..................................... Top of the blogs! Thank you to everyone who voted for my blog in the Total Politics Guide to Political Blogging. Results have just been announced and my website has leapt over 300 places to the 28th most popular Labour blog in the country. ..................................... To unsubscribe from Stuart's newsletter send a blank email from the account it was sent to, to Published and promoted by Adam Gray on behalf of Stuart King, both of 35 Felsham Road, Putney, London SW15 1AY
|
As someone who has made housing my No.1 priority I am delighted with the measures announced yesterday by the Labour Government. 
The Tory council has just announced that it's planning to railroad through it's divisive plans to redevelop central Roehampton - on the back of positive responses from just 21 people!
