New right to buy discounts will not lead to one for one replacement of council homes sold. Only extra sales above current predictions will be replaced. This ensures Government continue to get their ‘cut’: a further £498 million by 2015 robbed from council housing.
And new homes will be at up to 80% market rents, with fixed-term tenancies - not the secure, genuinely affordable and accountable homes desperately needed by the nearly 5 million people on council waiting lists.High council rent increases this year will be followed by further big rises over the next three years, if current targets are imposed. These would mean 36% rent rises over five years, well above the 22% inflation predicted.
With a new round of privatisation also threatened, tenants, with trade unions and councillors, are stepping up campaigning against these attacks, and for investment in council housing.Tenants will join trade unions, MPs and councillors to protest at the Housing Minister’s HQ in London from 8am on 28 March to demand investment in council housing with really-affordable rents and secure tenancies.
This co-incides with strikes by civil servants who support the campaign.Notes
Department for Communities and Local Government head office: Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU . Short walk from Victoria train and underground station, or Bus numbers 2, 8, 11, 16, 24, 36, 38, 52, 73, 82, 148, 185, 211, 239, 436, 507, C1 and C10. Housing Emergency: Time for an Alternative
Further meetings: 16 March 7pm Cambridge,29 March Harlow, 14 April Tower Hamlets, with others planned in Bolsover, Southampton, York and Newcastle.
London Mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone, film director Ken Loach, trade union General Secretaries, MPs, councillors and tenants organisations are supporting a Housing Emergency open statement. The online petition is here or see www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk. |
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