Council Rebels over Government Affordable Rent Plans

Islington Council has told housing associations it will not support bids for development funding under the government’s affordable rent programme. The authority is the first in London to rule out allowing associations to let homes at up to 80 per cent of the market rent. Instead it expects new housing to be developed without Homes and Communities Agency money and let at traditional social rent levels. The Labour-run council will ask housing associations to develop social rented housing, with the authority granting them land and around £1 million of the £3.7 million it expects to receive under the new homes bonus. Read more on Inside Housing.