What’s Stopping Councils from Building More Housing?

A report has called for measures – including lifting caps on council borrowing – to allow London councils the opportunity to build housing suitable for low-income families.  Nearly 1 in 8 households in London live in a council home, nearly double the proportion of other parts of England, and demand is growing with over 380,000 households currently on a local authority waiting list. The report warns that despite councils having a good record of sustainable borrowing, the current caps on borrowing imposed by the Treasury – to limit national debt – means London boroughs are torn between their need to invest in improving current housing standards and building housing suitable for low-income households. New research conducted for the report shows most London councils would like to see the caps being lifted.  Read more on the London Gov website.