MP attacks allocation of £1.4m of right to buy cash
A former Labour housing minister has accused the government of favouring Tory areas when allocating £1.14 million of funding to promote the right to buy.
John Healey, the MP for Wentworth and Dearne, made the claim after questions he submitted in parliament revealed Welwyn Hatfield was one of the areas to receive funding.
Welwyn Hatfield is the constituency of former Conservative housing minister Grant Shapps. The government has said right to buy marketing spending was allocated based on levels of housing stock, but Welwyn Hatfield comes 63rd on the list of stock holding councils.
Mr Healey said: ‘Public money should be spent by the government in a transparent, objective way.
‘Being on good terms with the housing minister of the day, or being in his constituency, certainly shouldn’t be sufficient grounds to receive public money.’
In a statement the Communities and Local Government department said: ‘The right to buy marketing was based on both, (a) areas with a large council housing stock and (b) a number of other “spotlight” councils which had actively volunteered to pilot and promote best practice.
‘Welwyn Hatfield was one of several authorities who accepted our initial invitation hence being involved in the early stages. The invitation is still open for all stock holding authorities to take part.’
A spokespersonfor the CLG added that the money was spent by the department in the chosen areas, rather than being given to councils.
Mr Healey said six out of the top 10 stock-owning councils were not selected for advertising of the scheme. He also attacked the amount spent on promotion.
‘The need for low-cost rented social homes has never been higher,’ he said.
‘At a time when housing budgets are so tight, the spend on this vanity policy is indefensible.’
