Councils urged to play key housing role
Tuesday, 24 January 2012 12:04 PM
Local councils should play a key role in tackling the housing crisis, according to a report out today.
A guide for councillors from the Local Government Association (LGA) and Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) urges them to make sure their authority has a strong local plan in place and is working with local communities to persuade them of the benefits of new homes.
Options might include investigating what public land is available in the area to make a contribution, adopting new approaches to affordable housing and working with the Green Deal to make existing homes more energy efficient.
The report quotes examples like the Byker Estate in Newcastle, where residents have taken community control and Tarporley in Cheshire, where the parish, district and county councils are working together to develop a new vision for the village.
Councillor David Parsons, chairman of the LGA's environment and housing board, said: "Clearly there is a massive challenge to bring down housing waiting lists and to deliver new affordable housing, but it is one which councils are ready to take the lead on."
Pat Ritchie, chief executive of the HCA, said: "We know these are challenging times, and the HCA, in its enabling role, is on hand to lend full support to its local partners in addressing the issues they are facing around this."
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