Speaking at the recent Local Government Association annual
conference on 2 July, Communities Secretary James Brokenshire once
again underlined his commitment to deliver a new generation of
council housing.
He said that housing is undoubtedly the Government's "top
domestic priority - the challenge of a generation" and added
"whatever else changes, that will not change".
Referencing the centenary of the Addison Act, he said it's
fitting that councils are once again leading the charge to help
increase supply to reach the Government's ambitions to deliver
300,000 new homes a year.
The Communities Secretary said he wanted to help councils
maximise the potential the lifting of the Housing Revenue Account
borrowing cap offers by considering how they could boost their
capabilities and develop joint ventures, whether with housing
associations and, indeed, the private sector to unlock more sites
ensuring the full ambition of a new generation of council homes is
delivered.
Read the Secretary of State's
speech
ARCH Chief Executive, John Bibby comments:
"It is heartening to hear Ministers, including the Prime
Minister, in recent weeks committing to delivering a new generation
of council housing and it's hoped that the new incoming Prime
Minister and his government will continue to deliver on that
commitment.
ARCH, working with the National Federation
of ALMOs, have been keen to tap into and share the experiences of
those councils and ALMOs that are already successfully delivering
new build schemes and to support our members we have established a
"Newbuild Network" to facilitate knowledge sharing, spread good
practice and offer help and support to Local Authorities and ALMOs
- wherever they are in their housebuilding journey.
ARCH too wishes to see councils maximise the potential the
lifting of the HRA borrowing cap offers and we have arranged a
meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Housing on 1
August to discuss what more our organisations could do to further
facilitate knowledge sharing, spread good practice and deliver the
Government's ambitions for a new generation of council
housing."