This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/01/if-some-councils-can-build-decent-homes-others-can-too
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| The big issue | The big issue |
| (1 day later) | |
| Southwark is building more council homes than any other borough in the country: here, the dream of social housing is very much alive and well (“Decent homes for all … has the dream died?, New Review, 25 June). | Southwark is building more council homes than any other borough in the country: here, the dream of social housing is very much alive and well (“Decent homes for all … has the dream died?, New Review, 25 June). |
| We have invested £426m over the past seven years to ensure our council housing is good quality. But we also have the legacy of some post-war estates, when the race to build was driven by quantity, not quality or sustainability. We need to tackle these challenges despite significant reductions in funding from government alongside the impact of “right to buy” and within a regimen that requires us to work with private developers, striking the best deal possible, in order to build. Even so, we have committed to building 11,000 new council homes by 2043, building homes that will last, with a commitment to quality so social housing is as good, if not better, as any other. | We have invested £426m over the past seven years to ensure our council housing is good quality. But we also have the legacy of some post-war estates, when the race to build was driven by quantity, not quality or sustainability. We need to tackle these challenges despite significant reductions in funding from government alongside the impact of “right to buy” and within a regimen that requires us to work with private developers, striking the best deal possible, in order to build. Even so, we have committed to building 11,000 new council homes by 2043, building homes that will last, with a commitment to quality so social housing is as good, if not better, as any other. |
| The challenge of providing a “gift to journalists” as the Observer describes the Heygate and Aylesbury estates is that the cliché becomes the story, framing what is reported, failing to do justice to what is being achieved. For example, what you don’t report is that most of the Heygate residents were council tenants rehoused in the borough; or that all have been offered the right to return; or that we will have secured 1,625 new affordable homes at the Elephant with more on the way; or that we will have built 5,000 new homes overall and created 6,000 new jobs. There is nothing progressive in forcing residents to live in sub-standard housing and on estates that are failing.Cllr Peter JohnLeader, Southwark councilLondon SE1 | The challenge of providing a “gift to journalists” as the Observer describes the Heygate and Aylesbury estates is that the cliché becomes the story, framing what is reported, failing to do justice to what is being achieved. For example, what you don’t report is that most of the Heygate residents were council tenants rehoused in the borough; or that all have been offered the right to return; or that we will have secured 1,625 new affordable homes at the Elephant with more on the way; or that we will have built 5,000 new homes overall and created 6,000 new jobs. There is nothing progressive in forcing residents to live in sub-standard housing and on estates that are failing.Cllr Peter JohnLeader, Southwark councilLondon SE1 |
| I am astonished that John Bird considers the only fly in the ointment of Thatcher’s right-to-buy policy was the proceeds not being used to build more social housing (New Review, 25 June ). | I am astonished that John Bird considers the only fly in the ointment of Thatcher’s right-to-buy policy was the proceeds not being used to build more social housing (New Review, 25 June ). |
| The scheme was, and is, iniquitous because of its intrinsic unfairness. | The scheme was, and is, iniquitous because of its intrinsic unfairness. |
| While renting, tenants in social housing generally have a better deal than those in the private sector where rogue landlords are rife and ruinous rates common. Yet these are the tenants offered their homes at generous discounts who after a short time could sell them on at a handsome profit. | While renting, tenants in social housing generally have a better deal than those in the private sector where rogue landlords are rife and ruinous rates common. Yet these are the tenants offered their homes at generous discounts who after a short time could sell them on at a handsome profit. |
| Meanwhile private renters endure exploitation and no chance to buy cheaply, no matter how many years they have lived in their property. | Meanwhile private renters endure exploitation and no chance to buy cheaply, no matter how many years they have lived in their property. |
| Social landlords have been in the ludicrous position of buying up ex-council property at market rates to help cope with their ever-expanding waiting lists. | Social landlords have been in the ludicrous position of buying up ex-council property at market rates to help cope with their ever-expanding waiting lists. |
| As far as councils and housing associations are concerned they could not build like-for-like homes even if they were allowed to do so. The knocked-down house prices offered to their tenants means there is not enough money in the communal kitty.Jennifer ReesCardiff | As far as councils and housing associations are concerned they could not build like-for-like homes even if they were allowed to do so. The knocked-down house prices offered to their tenants means there is not enough money in the communal kitty.Jennifer ReesCardiff |
| A million people could be made homeless by 2020 because of a lack of social housing and rent increases. When David Cameron wanted to “do a Thatcher” and start selling off the social housing stock he said that the private sector would “take up the slack”. Well, as we all know, there are nowhere near enough homes being built and where are all these desperate families going to go? | A million people could be made homeless by 2020 because of a lack of social housing and rent increases. When David Cameron wanted to “do a Thatcher” and start selling off the social housing stock he said that the private sector would “take up the slack”. Well, as we all know, there are nowhere near enough homes being built and where are all these desperate families going to go? |
| Also rental property needs to be brought up to a much higher standard. We have the Rent Smart scheme in Wales where landlords have to register and have a licence. All houses have to be up to a high standard and repairs and concerns attended to promptly. Any landlord not adhering to these rules can be heavily fined. In fact, we have just heard of one landlord in Wales being fined £7,000. Perhaps there should be a Rent Smart England/Scotland/Ireland.Ken StratfordLlandeilo, Carmarthenshire | Also rental property needs to be brought up to a much higher standard. We have the Rent Smart scheme in Wales where landlords have to register and have a licence. All houses have to be up to a high standard and repairs and concerns attended to promptly. Any landlord not adhering to these rules can be heavily fined. In fact, we have just heard of one landlord in Wales being fined £7,000. Perhaps there should be a Rent Smart England/Scotland/Ireland.Ken StratfordLlandeilo, Carmarthenshire |