Core Cities Warn Over RTB And Social Rent Cut

A report by Core Cities UK has called for greater devolution of housing policy and funding, but warned government plans on Right to Buy and social rent reductions would limit investment. The report said: “Greater local flexibility to pool housing funds and apply them to distinctive local need will get better results.” In addition it called for a removal of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) caps and greater incentives to develop brownfield sites in order to “capture uplifts in land values”. It also warned that proposals on extending Right to Buy to housing associations, paid in part by forcing councils to sell off their high-value properties, and a 1% cut in social rents would “limit cities’ ability to invest and deliver”. Download the report from the Core Cities website.

London’s Devolution Revolution

London’s future prosperity depends on more powers being devolved to the Mayor, the boroughs and the London Assembly, a cross-party group has warned. he London Assembly Devolution Working Group report ‘A new Agreement for London’ argues for an overhaul of the Mayor’s powers to reflect London’s new challenges - including building more homes, creating tomorrow’s high-tech jobs and making Londoners fitter and healthier.

The report makes a number of recommendations to ensure devolution works for London. London needs devolution of:

·         business rates

·         the skills budget

·         a single pot for employment support

·         suburban rail.

It also calls for the creation of a London Health Commissioner and a criminal justice system which is accountable to the Mayor. Read more on the London Assembly website.

Councils Finalise 77,000-Home Devolution Offer

Wide-reaching proposals to devolve powers over housing development and finance to a coalition of East Midlands authorities are being fine-tuned ahead of a September deadline. Proposals to create two combined authorities for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire have been submitted to the Treasury and CLG as a first step in negotiations over a full devolution deal for the whole area. Devolution proposals are being worked up by local authorities and business representatives, co-ordinated by the D2N2 local enterprise partnership that covers both counties. The business community is a key partner in developing proposals that will see 55,000 new private sector jobs created by 2023 and 77,000 affordable new homes by 2020. Read more on the Derbyshire County Council website.