Tory housing plans trounced

10.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 11th Jun 2009

Nottingham Liberal Democrats have criticised disastrous Conservative housing plans which would needlessly waste taxpayers' money and ruin the efficiency of local housing authorities such as Nottingham City Homes.

Monday's Council meeting included a discussion on Tory plans for a flawed "right-to-move" scheme could force Nottingham City Homes to manage properties anywhere in England from Berwick to Brighton; creating a bureaucratic, financial, and logistical nightmare.

Cllr Gary Long, who spoke out against the Conservative policy at the meeting, said afterwards: "These plans are daft. Forcing Nottingham City Homes to look after houses and flats all over England would create a messy and unmanageable social housing system."

He also expressed opposition to a Tory commitment to lower the social housing standards in order to fill more properties. "We need to make the best possible use of our social properties, but putting families in sub-standard houses is an appallingly short-sighted policy," said Cllr Long.

The Liberal Democrats are leading the way with sensible, achievable, and sustainable housing policy. A Lib Dem government would reform VAT to encourage developers to repair and re-use empty buildings, and allow social tenants to buy a stake in their council house if they can't afford to purchase the whole property outright.

Useful links…

Lib Dem housing policy outline; Vince Cable speaks…

http://tinyurl.com/mh2kar