NHF Chair Attacks Funding Cuts

Former Liberal Democrat MP Matthew Taylor has used the CIH Harrogate conference to launch a thinly veiled attack on the housing minister. ‘The suspicion is that ministers are concentrating hard on making their sums add up. People are counting success in terms of savings made… and, dare I say it, quangoes cut,’ said Mr Taylor, who stood down as an MP at the last election, told delegates. Mr Taylor, who is chair of the National Housing Federation, suggested ministers should instead consider ‘the success that would come’ if they concentrated on delivering new homes. He added that housing professionals must also change tack in arguing their case for funding in the forthcoming spending review. ‘Too often there is simply discussion of grant levels and an ask for money,’ he said. ‘We need to make the case that we’re the best investment.’ Meanwhile Ross Fraser, chief executive of Housemark, outlined the impact of potential cuts to the national affordable housing programme. ‘There could be up to 100 [new] homes lost for every £5 million cut,’ he said. He added that ministers should heed the example of Canada, where he said a deficit reduction programme similar to that being initiated by the UK government resulted in ‘not building any social housing for 10 years. The legacy is not a pretty one’. Read more on the Inside Housing website.