Union demands more ambitious build plans
Super union Unite has called on the government to do more to tackle a ‘severe shortage’ of social and council housing, in response to the government’s announcement of plans to build 2,010 new council homes.
Unite said it welcomed housing minister John Healey’s announcement outlining which councils would receive funding for the new homes and how many properties they are looking to build. But general secretary Jack Dromey said there was still a need for much more action.
‘This welcome step will help build Britain out of recession, providing desperately needed affordable homes and much needed jobs and apprenticeships. But the scale of housing need demands yet more ambitious action and we want the government to go further and faster.’
Gail Cartmail, assistant general secretary of Unite, added: ‘The foot needs to go on the accelerator to alleviate the very long waiting lists for social and council housing.’
Dave Prentis, general secretary of UNISON, said the government’s plans would provide a ‘boost for jobs and for people waiting for new housing’.
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Readers' comments (1)
Harry Lime | 10/09/2009 12:51 pm
An incredibly simplistic soundbite, increased affordable housing needs to go hand in hand with increased sales of market housing and other variants to produce mixed communities and avoid sink estates. Currently my biggest problem is getting developers to introduce market housing to their schemes, everybody wants to build 100% affordable which won't make the schemes sustainable in the long term.
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