Thursday, 18 March 2010

LGA Supports Calls For Reform Of Council House Financing

The Local Government Association has said that councils could deliver up to 500,000 new homes over the next decade if restrictions on housing budgets and planning were lifted. They have published a five point plan calling for fundamental reform to the way social housing is funded to meet the ever increasing demand for homes. The LGA is calling for councils to be given:
*The freedom to manage the finances of their own housing.
*Power to keep income from selling existing homes, which could help them building up to 150,000 new homes over 10 years.
*Access to funding for affordable homes on the same terms as housing associations and private developers.
*Changes to the grant system for local authorities to enable them to get money more quickly to pay for facilities such as schools for people who move into the area when they build homes.
*New freedoms to develop roads, schools and other facilities at the same time as homes.

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