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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Tories target council 'ghettos' | Tories target council 'ghettos' |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| Council and housing association tenants could get state aid to help buy a home and so break up "ghettos", a Tory policy group has suggested. | Council and housing association tenants could get state aid to help buy a home and so break up "ghettos", a Tory policy group has suggested. |
| The Public Services Improvement Policy Group also wants smaller schools, an end to the right of excluded pupils to appeal and more power for headteachers. | The Public Services Improvement Policy Group also wants smaller schools, an end to the right of excluded pupils to appeal and more power for headteachers. |
| The plans are not binding on David Cameron but will be considered in the run-up to the next general election. | The plans are not binding on David Cameron but will be considered in the run-up to the next general election. |
| Housing Minister Ian Wright dismissed the proposals as an "uncosted gimmick". | Housing Minister Ian Wright dismissed the proposals as an "uncosted gimmick". |
| Under the proposals, to be unveiled shortly, council and housing association tenants would be offered a 10% equity share in their home if they were a good tenant for at least five years. | Under the proposals, to be unveiled shortly, council and housing association tenants would be offered a 10% equity share in their home if they were a good tenant for at least five years. |
| Neighbourhood pride | Neighbourhood pride |
| If they left the social rented sector, they would receive the share as a cash payment towards their first property. | If they left the social rented sector, they would receive the share as a cash payment towards their first property. |
| But if they remained tenants, the policy group believes the equity share would encourage them to take greater care and show more pride in their neighbourhood. | But if they remained tenants, the policy group believes the equity share would encourage them to take greater care and show more pride in their neighbourhood. |
| Public Services Improvement Policy Group proposals: State aid for council tenants to help them buy their homesNational fund to provide affordable housing where neededSmaller schoolsMore power to head teachersTougher restrictions on excluded pupilsAnonymity for teachers faced with allegationsAbolish AS levelsLess political interference in running of NHS | |
| The Public Services Improvement Policy Group, co-chaired by former health secretary Stephen Dorrell and ex-chief inspector of schools Baroness Perry, includes proposals on education and health. | The Public Services Improvement Policy Group, co-chaired by former health secretary Stephen Dorrell and ex-chief inspector of schools Baroness Perry, includes proposals on education and health. |
| The report states: "The objective of an incoming Conservative government's social housing policy should be to encourage greater social mobility and to transform the dead-end 'ghettos' that typify some of our council housing estates today. | The report states: "The objective of an incoming Conservative government's social housing policy should be to encourage greater social mobility and to transform the dead-end 'ghettos' that typify some of our council housing estates today. |
| "Increased mobility within social housing can help more people on to the housing ladder; can help to create mixed-tenure neighbourhoods; and can help to free up social housing stock to meet demand and to address some of the overcrowding that currently exists." | "Increased mobility within social housing can help more people on to the housing ladder; can help to create mixed-tenure neighbourhoods; and can help to free up social housing stock to meet demand and to address some of the overcrowding that currently exists." |
| Tenants often face "a vicious cycle of deprivation and corresponding poor educational attainment and ill health", the report says. | Tenants often face "a vicious cycle of deprivation and corresponding poor educational attainment and ill health", the report says. |
| The group said the 10% payment would be worth as much as £20,000 in many cases. | The group said the 10% payment would be worth as much as £20,000 in many cases. |
| Summer schools | Summer schools |
| But Mr Wright said: "This is another uncosted gimmick which the Tories have no idea how to deliver. | But Mr Wright said: "This is another uncosted gimmick which the Tories have no idea how to deliver. |
| "If they were serious about backing home ownership they would stop blocking much needed new homes across the country." | "If they were serious about backing home ownership they would stop blocking much needed new homes across the country." |
| The report calls for a national fund to target public money into local schemes that provide sustainable and affordable rented housing in areas where it is needed. | The report calls for a national fund to target public money into local schemes that provide sustainable and affordable rented housing in areas where it is needed. |
| The group - one of six policy reviews - is expected to say primary school pupils who fall behind should attend summer schools or re-sit their final year. | The group - one of six policy reviews - is expected to say primary school pupils who fall behind should attend summer schools or re-sit their final year. |
| Teachers accused of misconduct - such as sexual or violent behaviour - should remain anonymous until a case against them is proved, rather than have their lives ruined. | Teachers accused of misconduct - such as sexual or violent behaviour - should remain anonymous until a case against them is proved, rather than have their lives ruined. |
| The sense of being part of a smaller community where people do know who you are ... makes a huge difference Baroness Perry | The sense of being part of a smaller community where people do know who you are ... makes a huge difference Baroness Perry |
| The group is also set to call for head teachers to be able to employ school "managers" to handle administrative tasks. | The group is also set to call for head teachers to be able to employ school "managers" to handle administrative tasks. |
| It also believes that discipline can be improved by having smaller schools. | It also believes that discipline can be improved by having smaller schools. |
| Baroness Perry said experiments in the US showed that where big schools have broken down into smaller ones, truancy rates have dropped, while performance and discipline have improved. | Baroness Perry said experiments in the US showed that where big schools have broken down into smaller ones, truancy rates have dropped, while performance and discipline have improved. |
| "It's a sense of belonging more than anything else which children lack in very large schools," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "It's a sense of belonging more than anything else which children lack in very large schools," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| "They feel that nobody knows them and if you are not known you can get away with anything. | "They feel that nobody knows them and if you are not known you can get away with anything. |
| "The sense of being part of a smaller community where people do know who you are ... makes a huge difference." | "The sense of being part of a smaller community where people do know who you are ... makes a huge difference." |