Last week saw the Labour Party descend on Liverpool for its annual conference. With the media focus firmly on the successful re-election of Jeremy Corbyn MP as Leader, you would be forgiven for thinking that there wasn’t any substantive policy discussion. You would however be mistaken.
Housing remained at the forefront of the Labour political agenda as ever. A key event was ‘Local Housing Innovation – the best of Labour in power’ chaired by John Healey MP. Mr Healey, the former Housing Minister who recently also served as Shadow Secretary of State for Housing and Planning, has steadily built up a reputation amongst Labour members as a knowledgeable, authoritative and passionate advocate for housing. He has been extremely critical over the fact that this year saw no central government investment in new general social rented homes, a political and policy consensus that stretches back to the 1919 Addison Act. Last year he established the Labour Housing and Planning Innovation Network which now counts Leaders, Cabinet Members and Opposition Leaders from over 100 local authorities as members. Recognising that with Labour in opposition at Westminster, it is local councillors and local authorities who are providing a Labour solution to the housing crisis, the event served as a pre-publication launch of the upcoming book looking at innovative methods that Labour councils are operating to increase the supply of housing within their authorities. Initially focusing on 20 authorities, from every part of the country, the publication will highlight the expertise and innovation being demonstrated by local authorities to drive through housing delivery. Highlights from the publication include Manchester City Council’s partnership with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund to deliver new homes, Slough’s Local Asset Backed Vehicle with Morgan Sindall Investments which subsidises major infrastructure projects through housing and City of Wolverhampton Council’s Trip Advisor-style scheme for landlords which firmly places the power at the hands of their tenants. With Mr Healey going further and encouraging Labour councils to take the initiative and shape housing policy locally rather than accepting the Treasury’s proposals, it is clear that local authorities will be playing an ever increasing role in housing delivery, and potentially in official Labour Party policy.
If you are interested in finding out more about how Newington can help you understand the politics of the housing sector, or how to engage with local authorities who are seeking new ways to deliver housing, please get in touch with Pavitar Mann at [email protected]
