Councils Join Forces After Funding Snub

A group of eight east midlands councils has established a task force to ensure the region is not snubbed for a second time in succession by the HCA.  The group, led by umbrella organisation East Midlands Councils, aims to make sure the region’s social landlords cash in on the £300 million of grant funding to build 15,000 affordable homes announced in this month’s stimulus package.  The group will respond to a report from think tank The Smith Institute which criticised the HCA for the distribution of funding under its £1.8 billion affordable homes programme. The report found that the east midlands received funding for just 4,183 homes or 5 per cent of the affordable homes programme in England. This is despite the area housing more than 10 per cent of the country’s population. Read more on Inside Housing.