Stop Boris stealing homes from low income families!

Despite the corona virus emergency we must also keep an eye out on what else the government is proposing.

UNISON has spotted that the Tories are proposing to stop local authorities using developers contributions (so called section 106 money) to fund homes for low income families.

Instead it will be used to subsidise first time buyers of private homes.

This will decimate local authorities ability to have homes built for low income families.

If the Government wants to support first time buyers then that is great, but do not do this at the expense of desperate vulnerable homeless or overcrowded families.

So check out UNISON resource links below on these "First Homes" proposals and respond :-

• download and share the UNISON briefing;
• find out more about the government consultation, including how to respond and download the consultation document;
• use UNISON’s housing affordability tool to find out how the housing crisis will affect you and your family. Make sure you share your result on social media and email your MP on the subject;
• tweet to your MP and ask them to support the policies in our housing manifesto and the manifesto summary – using the hashtag #UNISONHousingManifesto;
• find out more about UNISON’s housing campaign.

Hat tip great picture to Steve Bell

London UNISON Labour Link Forum, Keir Starmer Pic & Labour Unions for Sadiq

A busy Labour movement day. Firstly I chaired the Greater London UNISON Labour Link Annual Forum. Our guest speaker was Assembly member,Len Duvall, who is a longstanding UNISON member and the Labour Leader in the London Assembly.

Len gave a passionate speech about the need to support our Labour candidate, Sadiq Khan, for London Mayor and why we need and can win the marginal seats.

I stood back from the Chair to speak on an amendment to a motion on Local Government funding to include opposition to the Government's dreadful "First Homes" proposals to give private builders  money that should be used to build social rented homes (e.g our section 106 money).

This is what Tories do when they are in power and we must defeat them in a future General election.

Also I opposed a motion calling for full reselections for all Labour MPs even if local party members are happy with them and think they are doing a good job.

I am pleased that both of my arguments were accepted and it was also good to see a range of speakers participated in these debates.

After Forum my branch delegate, Doreen and I "bumped" into UNISON Labour Leadership candidate, Keir Starmer and got I a picture with Keir, Doreen and my Welsh Paramedic NEC comrade, Angie Roberts.

I then went to the UNISON activist floor on the 8th floor and did work emails and phone calls.

At 6pm we had a Labour Unions event also at the Unison Centre to support Sadiq Khan for London Mayor. This was another positive meeting and first we had Sadiq's organisers to talk about the campaign and tactics.

Then we had Deputy Mayor for London, Fiona Twycross, give a great political speech about why we need to support Sadiq.  But also a sombre expert report on why we should trust our Chief Medical Officer and public health experts on measures to tackle Coronavirus but to hold them and the government to account in a measured and pragmatic way.

UPDATE: All local elections called off until 2021 due to Coronavirus. 

Tory "First Homes Proposal" will further decimate affordable housing

The UK Government’s First Homes Scheme will lead to fewer social and affordable housing.

Check out UNISON Housing Association branch motion to our National Delegate Conference.

"Conference notes the UK government consultation which opened on the 7th February 2020 over the new ‘First Homes’ housing policy. This proposal seeks to divert section 106 funds away from the provision of affordable homes and instead use it to offer discounts on new properties for purchase in England.

Conference notes that opposition to these proposals and its effects on building genuinely affordable and social rental homes has already been expressed by a wide cross-section of organisations including the Chartered Institute for Housing, National Housing Federation, Shelter and the Local Government Association.

Conference is concerned that the impact of these proposals would be to reduce the numbers of low cost social and affordable rental properties provided by housing associations and local authorities.

Conference is also concerned that like the Help to Buy scheme, the proposed policy will inflate sale prices at the expense of increasing supply. It will also likely help those on very high incomes who are not in housing need. According to the National Audit Office, 65,000 Help to Buy buyers, 31% of buyers, did not need the help of the scheme to get onto the housing ladder.

Furthermore, these proposals would hand over decision-making powers on the development of affordable homes to large housebuilding corporations, while restricting the ability of Local Authorities to use their planning policies to insist on genuinely affordable and social rented homes. We also believe that there are deep flaws in the implementation and legal enforcement of these proposals that could be exploited by large housebuilding corporations.

Conference believes that the ‘First Homes’ policy will damage the social housing sector and further endanger jobs, pay and conditions within the sector. Section 106 monies, though far from the ideal arrangement, are currently the predominant way to fund new affordable housing since the government slashed grants for social housing in 2010. This policy will see this money going to housebuilders and not to providers of affordable housing such as Housing Associations and Local Authorities.

Conference therefore calls on the NEC to:

• Add our voice to the wide range of those opposing these plans as they currently stand, highlighting the threat the proposals pose to ensuring our Housing Associations and Local Authorities can continue to expand the provision of affordable homes in the country.

• Work with Labour Link to raise this issue with MPs and Councillors to ensure their voices are also used to stop this damaging policy whether in the consultation or if a bill is presented to parliament.

• Continue our commitment to support real radical changes within this sector which would see funding for the construction of a new generation of social housing fit to meet the needs of the whole country; and promote UNISON’s Housing Manifesto: “Safe, decent and affordable homes for all”.