LGA Criticises ‘Unrealistic’ and ‘Restrictive’ Right To Buy Plans

The government’s proposals on how councils can keep and use receipts from future right to buy sales in the local area have been labelled ‘unnecessarily restrictive’ by the Local Government Association.  The CLG is consulting councils over the wording of an agreement they will have to sign if they are to use right to buy receipts to deliver replacement housing in the same local authority area. If councils do not keep receipts they will be returned to the HCA or, in London, the Greater London Authority. But a response from the LGA voiced several criticisms of the current drafting of the agreement.  The LGA believes the requirements are likely to put councils off keeping receipts to invest locally. ‘A number of conditions within the agreement are unnecessarily restrictive and cumulatively present a level of risk that may deter councils from reinvesting receipts in local reprovision,’ said the LGA response.  Read more on Inside Housing.