Defend Council Housing rallies support ahead of Commons inquiry

Defend Council Housing (DCH) is rallying support ahead of the House of Commons council housing inquiry on January 22.

The inquiry has been set up to collect evidence to support amendments to the Housing and Regeneration Bill and provides an opportunity for campaigners - including tenants - to get actively involved in deciding the future of social housing.

According to DCH, speculation about a price crash and repossessions in the private housing market reinforces the case for investment in first class public housing.

"It's what 2.5 million existing tenants are demanding and the only realistic solution for 1.6 million households on council waiting lists and a generation of young people wanting to move out from under their parents feet into a home of their own," DCH said.
 
Proposed amendments will address:

• Providing additional investment to council housing to secure its long term future (for retaining authorities and ALMOs).
• Removing the proposed means test eligibility clause.
• A code of conduct for consulting tenants requiring a fair and balanced debate and a level playing field for councils - including equal access to social housing grant to build new council homes.

DCH Chair Alan Walter said: "The Housing and Regeneration Bill provides a real opportunity to press home the campaign's demands for direct investment.

"We also need to remove or amend clauses that seek to undermine the position of council housing. "

Walter recently spent 45 minutes answering questions from the MPs on the Housing Bill Standing Committee.

He was quizzed on the campaign's objections to the Bill as it stands and what changes DCH is calling for.