Housing

I am proud that twelve years ago, the Labour Government made the decision to finally bring the country’s social housing up to decent-home standard after years of neglect by central Government. In Islington, the Government has invested £157 million in new kitchens and bathrooms and better insulation to protect those who are most vulnerable and in most need. When Labour came to power in 1997, only one in four homes in Islington were at decent-homes standard, but by 2010, every single one will have reached that standard.   

However, there are still more than 13,000 families on the waiting list and many people still live in overcrowded conditions. I believe Islington’s housing issues need to be addressed by London-specific policies, and I am campaigning hard to make sure Islington Council delivers the affordable housing my constituency needs, rather than just luxury flats.   

As a member of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee, I took the opportunity to raise the issue of major works charges for leaseholders. I questioned civil servants, leaseholder representatives and interested bodies in an evidence session on the issue. You can read the transcript here.  

I have been encouraging the Government to put a cap on major work charges for leaseholders on estates. However, I am disappointed Islington Council hasn’t used the discretionary powers it has already to help leaseholders more. I asked for debate in Parliament on the effect of the credit crunch and lower house prices on leaseholders on low incomes who bought their flats on large council estates and face huge bills for major ongoing works.   

I have also asked the Government to ensure that tenants of councils such as Islington are protected from changes in the HRA subsidy system. For a variety of historical reasons, such councils have large debts to service, and it is vital that Islington tenants do not suffer as that debt is repaid.  

As I pointed out in my Budget Speech to Parliament last April, we need to build larger units, which can take overcrowded families from smaller flats and help unclog the system. More affordable housing also needs to be built. For example, in a development of 60 units above the Tesco’s on Holloway Road, Lib-Dem councillors allowed only 10 to be affordable. Now 50 remain empty, instead of being occupied by families who need them.  

High house prices mean the families on Islington’s housing waiting list aren’t in a position to buy or part-buy property. What they need is social rented housing. In Islington we should be standing up to developers and requiring them to include affordable housing in their plans, as well as telling our Local Authority to spend Government funds more responsibly. In July this year I spoke out in a debate to call for more social rented housing. You can read a copy of my speech here.   

It is unacceptable that when so much social rented housing is needed, the Tory mayor of London has downgraded the requirements for social rented housing. He has also raised the income limit for shared-ownership flats to £70,000. In the last 10 years, only one in seven new-build flats in Islington have been social rented housing provided by the Liberal Democrats, and the housing waiting list continues to get worse. I am working hard to ensure the Government delivers on social rented housing, and campaigning to give Islington the affordable housing denied it by Lib-Dem councillors.