BRICK BY BRICK DEMOLITION OF HOUSING BILL

Dream 

on Mr

Cameron,

dream on...

David Cameron`s housing policy  today faces its biggest test with his  flagship Housing and Planning Bill now under  threat

The bill will force councils to sell much of their social housing and curb lifelong council tenancies. It has been  described by housing experts as the beginning of the end of social housing.

But the bill has been savaged  in the House of Lords. Critics have inflicted a string of defeats on ministers and forced many concessions. It has been a brick by brick housing demolition.

With local elections and the London mayoral election on Thursday, ministers today face the dilemma of whether to back down and accept many of the Lords’ amendments to the bill or face  deadlock in getting the bill safely through parliament.

Whatever happens, David Cameron’s pledge to build a property-owning democracy has now been called into serious question.

And  a landmark survey in yesterday`s Observer newspaper reveals that almost four in 10 of those who do not own a home believe they will never be able to do so.

Sixty nine per cent of people think the country is “in the throes of a housing crisis”. A staggering 71% of aspiring property owners doubt their ability to buy a home without financial help from family members.

More than two-thirds (67%) would like to buy their own home “one day”, while 37% believe buying will remain out of their reach for good. A further 26% think it will take them up to five years.

The findings cast doubt on the Prime Minister’s claim before last year’s general election that his government`s housing policies would transform “generation rent” into “generation buy”.

In April last year Cameron told councils: “The dream of a property-owning democracy is alive and well and we will help you fulfil it.”

So, what now? Here in Carlisle, the progress of the bill is being watched closely by  those community activists  keeping an eye on the area`s biggest landlord, the Liverpool based Riverside Housing Association

Riverside is struggling to cope with a £100 million drop in income in the next four years.

And it is also struggling to cope with continuous public criticism of  the shambolic way it runs its operations.

Carlisle city councillors are among the critics but how msuch longer they can do this is now in doubt because of an amendment in the  bill gives housing associations the power to remove governing board members appointed by a council. Carlisle  council has four representatives on the Riverside board

The National Housing Federation  has welcomed the amendment as a further move to free associations from state control.

But many councils argue that if they lose a place at the table of their local housing association, this hampers their ability to hold organisations to account on behalf of residents.

 Lambeth Council  thinks the amendment “breaks the housing association’s fundamental relationship with tenants”.

Warrington Council says it is a “backward step” that will eliminate council involvement in “an area of strategic importance”.

Riverside said it is reviewing its local governance arrangements and will make a final decision in the next few weeks.

A Riverside spokesperson added: “Whatever our decision, we consider a good working relationship with our local councils is important. Much of our work is done in partnership with local authorities and it is our desire to work closely with officers and councillors in a variety of ways.”

Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation which publishes this blog makes this  comment:”These Riverside aims  would be very admirable if that organisation was a fit and proper housing association which was both capable and caring. Riverside is  very far from that”.
 
Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 522277 or 01228 532803.