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Battle for council housing still has some way to go
• THE speech by Gordon Brown where he promised to “put aside any of the barriers that stand in the way” of councils building new council housing is encouraging but the battle to win investment to secure the future of 2.5 million council homes and start building a third generation of first-class housing still has some way to go.
Warm words are welcome but tenants won’t be letting up on the pressure.
We haven’t fought this long and hard to be sold a pup.
The Defend Council Housing campaign that we started 10 years ago now has support around the UK from tenants, trade unions, councilors, MPs and increasing numbers of housing professionals and academics.
Because of our resistance predictions about the end of council housing made in 2000 have proved to be premature!
The total failure of the private housing market reinforces our arguments that investment in first-class council housing makes sense.
But while the Prime Minister and housing minister Margaret Beckett are making positive noises government is also, with the support of councils like Camden, continuing to drive privatisation schemes and sale of council homes and land.
On Wednesday February 25 Camden tenants will be joining other supporters of council housing at Parliament giving evidence to the House of Commons Council Housing Group.
The group plans to feed the arguments we make to ensure that we get an acceptable settlement from the government’s review of council housing finance, which is due to report shortly.
Ministers promised this review to “ensure that we have a sustainable, long-term system for financing council housing” and “"consider evidence about the need to spend on management, maintenance and repairs”.
Come and join us at Parliament (inquiry 12-5pm) and meeting at 6pm – this isn’t a spectator sport!
Contact your MP and ask them to sign Early Day Motion 355 to support our demands and urge your local councillors – and Camden Council officially – to come and show their support too.
Alan Walter
Chair Peckwater Estate Tenants and Residents Association and chair Defend Council Housing |
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