Housing
Spelthorne calls end to commercial investments
Spelthorne BC has announced an end to its controversial policy of commercial property investments.
Manchester commission will promote putting people before profit
Greater Manchester already has a thriving co-operative sector. The launch of the Greater Manchester Co-operative Commission will explore the real opportunities to tackle the issues that affect residents and businesses, says MP Jo Platt.
Brokenshire in trade-offs warning
Local government secretary James Brokenshire has warned that trade-offs will be necessary in the fair funding review.
Give councils without a HRA the chance to build new homes
As the District Councils' Network gets ready for its annual conference, its Stronger Economies spokesman Cllr Mark Crane calls on Government to give councils without a HRA the flexibility to begin a housebuilding programme
The Berlin perspective
Perhaps we should all be asking the Germans how they get their priorities in order before rushing to the European exit, says Paul Wheeler.
Councils should have a planner in top team
Cuts to planning authority budgets have left them unable to compete with the private sector for the best in leadership talent. It's time for local authority chief executives to put planning back at the top table, says Victoria Hills
Northampton undervalued housing stock by £86m
Northampton BC undervalued its housing stock by £86.7m, contributing to a delay of more than a year in completing its accounts.
Making a case for smaller Government
Simon Parker says it’s time for smaller, reformed central Government departments – and fewer of them – and a thorough debate about whether the nation can afford such large Government when frontline services are being slashed.
125 years and the issues remain the same
Spending time poring over issues of The MJ (Municipal Journal) from the past 125 years – as you will see from this week's supplement – it is remarkable how much things change and yet they remain the same, says Heather Jameson
New year, new council homes
Later this year the first four MetroHomes will be built in Lambeth – a housing approach that uses Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). Cllr Matthew Bennett says it's an important first step in delivering the homes the borough needs.
Liverpool housing plans killed by legal challenge
A deal between Liverpool City Council and Redrow Homes to build luxury properties on the fringes of a park is 'dead’ after a legal challenge, mayor Joe Anderson has admitted.
A quarter of councils yet to submit a Local Plan
A quarter of local authorities have yet to submit a Local Plan six years after being required to act, new research has revealed.
Act now to halt the housing crisis
Housing should be seen as a key plank of the natural infrastructure, says housing charity Shelter. Heather Jameson examines its report and expands on its recommendations
A new model for housing delivery
There’s a new emphasis on the public sector leading delivery to meet housing demand – but how can councils meet the challenge? Caroline Green says the answer lies in working with the private sector’s capacity and capital to build homes faster
Lack of preparation suggests no-deal is a negotiating tool
The Government has hardly bothered to involve local authorities in any serious planning for exiting the EU without an agreement. This suggests two mindsets, according to Mike Burton.
Right to Buy can be the right way ahead
In future, Right to Buy can only be the right thing to do if homes are replaced – otherwise it’s just another exercise in driving up property costs and pushing more people into poverty, argues Heather Jameson.
Havering's housing model is a genuine partnership with the private sector
Over the next 12 to 15 years, using funding from the HRA, Havering LBC's joint venture partnership will deliver around 3,000 new homes for local people, says leader Cllr Damian White
Government defends Right to Buy against call for abolition
A top Marsham Street official has defended the Government’s Right to Buy policy as ‘good value for money’ following demands for its abolition.
Let's work together to solve the housing crisis
Brexit hasn't caused our divisions, but it has laid them bare, and nowhere is this more prevalent than in housing, says Jo Miller. We must do something different to ever have a chance of being a society that works for all, she adds
Work to begin on new planning register
Work is being started on a new project to bring together data on planning applications from all councils across England.