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Government
Consultation and LTF Responses
LTF
responses to regional government consultation are contained in the
'Regional Decision Making / Mayors Housing Strategy' and 'The London
Plan' pages of this website. Links are listed on the left hand side
of this page (green background)
- The
John Hills Review of Social Housing - 'Ends and Means:
The Future Roles of Social Housing in England' which was launched
in February '07 There was no formal consultation tenants relating
to the John Hills Review although the LTF submitted our 2006 conference
recommendations to him as well as a covering letter. We said we
were concerned about the current levels prejudice leveled at council
tenants in the media and elsewhere, as well as noting the London's
growing levels of poverty, property values and rents and Governments
failures to address housing need in London. We said we wanted
to see government investing positively in council housing - in
new and existing homes and we said we felt that tenants should
be part of defining problems relating to their homes and solutions
to those problems.
- Martin
Cave's 'Every Tenant Matters: A Review of Social Housing Regulation'
was published in June '07. There was consultation on this review.
Over a hundred organisations responded to Martin Cave's 'Call
for Evidence'. Most of these though came from service
providers (councils and housing associations) and professional
organisations, as well as the Council for Mortgage Lenders (who
were also part of an ‘External Advisory Group’ to
Cave), a few trade unions, an MP, DCH and TPAS (also part of the
‘External Advisory Group). Only 5 tenants’ organisations
(including the LTF) responded . No tenant organisations were part
of the ‘External Advisory Group’.
Cave held two meetings
with tenants, one in London and one in Manchester. The shows
government moving towards a greater role for the private sector;
notably for private developers in both building and managing
social housing. Tenants are considered as consumers apparently
with 'an appetite' for more market choice. The
LTF does not concur with this view, but instead feels giving
a greater role to the private sector will necessarily result
in less democratic and accountable structures and the erosion
of tenants’ rights.
- LTF
response to Martin Cave's 'Call for Evidence'
- Every
Tenant Matters: A Review of Social Housing Regulation
- Martin Cave
- Tenants
Empowerment Consultation Cave suggested there be further
consultation on his proposal for a National Tenants Voice, which
led to the publication of the Government department Communities
and Local Government (CLG) 'Tenant Empowerment' consultation paper
in summer '07. Its main focus was on involving more tenants in
managing their own homes and the proposed 'National Tenants Voice'.
- HOUSING GREEN
PAPER. The
Government's 'Homes for the future: more affordable, more
sustainable - Housing Green Paper', was published in July
this year. The closing date for responses to consultation is 15th
October 07. The publication of the Green Paper hit media headlines,
with many in the press suggesting the Green Paper showed Government
had moved housing significantly up the political agenda. Some
have proposed that it heralds a new dawn for councils to build
new homes. The LTF is far from convinced. We have produced 2 briefings
on the Green Paper, the first being an analysis of existing need
and an assessment of whether the Green Paper offers sufficient
to address those problems.
LTF briefings
on the Cave Review and on the Green Paper can be found on our Publications
/ Briefings page.
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