Lib Dems campaign against £455 million housing bombshell

cllr-stephen-fentonLocal Liberal Democrats have launched a campaign against the undermining of council housing by Central Government which could cost York £455 million.  

The Conservative Government, under the recently passed Housing and Planning Act, will force higher-value council homes in York to be sold-off in order to fund national policies. Research from the charity Shelter estimates that 1,432 houses in York (18.3% of the total stock) could be sold under this policy with the majority of the sale receipts being passed to the Government.  

Earlier this year, City of York Council officers said the sell-off and other national reforms could mean income for the authority will over the next 30 years “at best be reduced by £340m, and at worst £455m…..(and as a result) It is likely that any future building programme for new council homes will need to be significantly reduced or ended completely”.  

York Lib Dems are calling on the recently appointed Housing Minister, Gavin Barwell MP, to rethink the plans, and have launched a petition which can be found at: www.yorklibdems.org.uk/housing. In 2011, Liberal Democrats in York ensured the building of the first council houses for two decades and will continue to argue that there is a future for social housing going forward.  

Cllr Stephen Fenton (pictured), Liberal Democrat Councillor for Dringhouses & Woodthorpe, said:  

“The Conservative Government is intent on destroying social housing. Over 1,000 homes could be sold-off in York under these reforms, without the guarantee of building new ones to replace them. This will hit people on waiting lists, in desperate need of a home. 

“The reforms could also cripple the council’s finances. As council officers warned earlier this year, this could make building new homes practically impossible as well as make looking after existing homes harder and harder in the coming years. 

“Liberal Democrats believe that access to decent and affordable housing is a fundamental right. We are calling on the newly appointed Conservative Housing Minister to rethink the plans and protect council housing in York. We have launched an online petition at: www.yorklibdems.org.uk/housing. 

“We will continue to fight to get the best outcome possible for the city. Tenants will want to know what the impact of Government policy will be so that they are fully informed on how future finances could look. As Lib Dem councillors, we believe that any possible changes resulting from this in the way that council housing is managed in York should only go forward with the agreement of tenants.”

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