Professor John Hills urged to 'stand up for council housing' » Housing » 24dash.com

Nearly 3 million council tenants and 1.6 million households on council housing waiting lists will expect Professor John Hills to 'stand up for council housing' today.

Ahead of John Hills' report this afternoon Alan Walter, chair of the Defend Council Housing national campaign said: "The case for investing in decent, affordable, secure and accountable council housing is stronger than ever. The private housing market is failing millions today as it always has.

"Of course there are problems with council housing but starving council estates of investment; forcing tenants to give up our secure, life long tenancies; and siphoning money out of tenants rents to subsidise shared ownership schemes is ideological dogma that solves nothing but will antagonise millions of council tenants and those on council housing waiting lists."

Professor John Hills is due to report at lunchtime on the 'Role of Social Housing' for Secretary of State Ruth Kelly.

Tonight Defend Council Housing is launching a new pamphlet 'Dear Gordon: Invest in decent, affordable, secure and accountable council housing' at Parliament.

Tenants, councillors, trade unionists and MPs will be responding to Hills' recommendations and make the case to Gordon Brown for the 'Fourth Option' – investment in council housing.