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Council home plans to be unveiled | Council home plans to be unveiled |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Plans to boost the supply of social housing outlined by Gordon Brown on Monday are to be spelt out later. | Plans to boost the supply of social housing outlined by Gordon Brown on Monday are to be spelt out later. |
In a speech in Harrogate, housing minister John Healey is due to announce to local government leaders the outcome of a council housing finance review. | In a speech in Harrogate, housing minister John Healey is due to announce to local government leaders the outcome of a council housing finance review. |
Changes could see councils returning to large-scale home building. | Changes could see councils returning to large-scale home building. |
Meanwhile, the Communities Department has said its £750m contribution to fund affordable homes, signalled by No 10, has not been finalised. | |
Priority to locals | |
It had been suggested that half of the £1.5bn needed to pay for 110,000 new affordable homes by 2011 would come from government departments with an underspend, including the Home Office, transport and health. | |
The other half, Number 10 said, would be covered by the Department for Communities and Local Government. | |
But the DCLG is insisting no exact amount has been agreed yet and details will be announced at a later date. | |
During Monday's launch of his Building Britain's Future policy document, Mr Brown announced a consultation was under way to decide whether to allow councils to keep all the money raised from council house sales and rent. | |
The prime minister also proposed to let councils in England give local people more priority on housing waiting lists. | |
'Unmet demand' | 'Unmet demand' |
Currently, council tenants' rent and proceeds from right-to-buy sales go into a national pot for redistribution. | Currently, council tenants' rent and proceeds from right-to-buy sales go into a national pot for redistribution. |
Some councils get money back while others have to pay a negative subsidy to the government. | Some councils get money back while others have to pay a negative subsidy to the government. |
But if ministers support plans to let councils keep their money locally, councils may be able to build and repair more homes. | But if ministers support plans to let councils keep their money locally, councils may be able to build and repair more homes. |
In the past two decades, very few homes have been built by councils as housing associations have been the main providers of social housing. | In the past two decades, very few homes have been built by councils as housing associations have been the main providers of social housing. |
BBC local government correspondent John Andrew said he did not expect a return to the kind of mass council house building in the 1950s and 1960s. | BBC local government correspondent John Andrew said he did not expect a return to the kind of mass council house building in the 1950s and 1960s. |
But the latest measures would go some way to meeting the huge unmet demand for social housing as the number on housing waiting lists approaches 5 million, our correspondent added. | But the latest measures would go some way to meeting the huge unmet demand for social housing as the number on housing waiting lists approaches 5 million, our correspondent added. |