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Rural council at 'disadvantage' with high value asset levy
A rural council has said the high value asset levy policy puts it at a “disadvantage”, in an email to the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Conservative-run East Riding of Yorkshire Council has told DCLG there are no housing associations in the area with development plans so any payment the council would make through the levy would not be reinvested in affordable housing in the area.
A freedom of information response revealed the council’s concerns over the policy to impose a high value asset levy on councils to reimburse housing associations for the sale of properties through Right to Buy.
In an email to DCLG in January Karen Williamson, strategic investment and development manager, said: “The council is the largest developer and provider of affordable housing in the East Riding, currently there are no other private registered providers of affordable housing with a current development programme operating in the area at this time.
“Therefore any levy made against the East Riding of Yorkshire Council would be unlikely to be reinvested by a housing association within the local authority area.”
She added: “As a rural authority with high housing needs this puts us at a disadvantage when compared with some of the more urban authorities where housing associations are actively developing affordable homes.”
Councils have called on government to set out details of the possible levy they will face.
