Gordon Brown's Housing Bill: ‘Five golden opportunities missed’ say Greens
17 November 2007
Five golden opportunities missed, was Brighton and Hove Green Party’s response to the Housing Bill outlined in the Queen’s Speech.
"We welcome the proposed increase in house-building to 240,000 homes a year, but we think Mr Brown has missed five golden opportunities that would help end the housing crisis," said Cllr Bill Randall (below), Green Party Lead Councillor on Housing on Brighton and Hove City Council.
They are:
1. Social housing should account for 120,000 homes in the programme, rather than the 70,000 favoured by Gordon Brown
2. Councils should be allowed to build homes
3. More support should be given to housing co-ops and community land trusts
4. The owners of England’s 680,000 empty homes should pay a penalty on top of full council tax, where their homes have been empty for more than six months
5. End the sale of council homes and introduce First Time Buyer loans for all tenants.
"The current Right to Buy system robs councils of precious homes and is unfair to most private sector tenants who receive no help in getting on to the home ownership ladder," said Cllr Randall.
Notes to editors:
For more information please contact Lizzie Deane Brighton and Hove Green Party External Communications Officer on 07899 843206.[ENDS]
