Buy up houses for the needy

12.34.00pm GMT Mon 3rd Nov 2008

In a letter to the Norwich Evening News David Fairbairn, Liberal Democrat City Councillor for Lakenham, updated readers on the latest developments regarding the groups' plan to increase social housing in the city.

He wrote:

Dear Editor,

The Liberal Democrats proposed a motion to the council on 21st October to 'explore ways of buying up unsold properties and sites from building companies in order to provide social housing'. As set out in the Lib Dem Policy by Vince Cable MP of 16th September.

Unfortunately, time did not allow this motion to be debated but we will try again on November 25th, the next council meeting.

However today (23rd October) an announcement from Margaret Becket MP Housing Minister stated that the government are going to do just what the Lib Dems asked for announcing - "A £13 million deal to buy unsold homes off the market to use as affordable housing, as part of the Government's programme of action to tackle current difficulties in the housing market." Although welcome as a first step I am concerned that this money will only deliver approximately 335 homes in 19 sites across the country. I wonder whether any of the 19 will be in Norwich?

I am also concerned that it is the Government who are doing this. What is wrong with Norwich City Council being in charge of such a scheme? Norwich has a chronic shortage of social housing with approximately 10,000 on the waiting list and likely to increase substantially in the current climate.

A local scheme where officers of the council know the developers and sites in the area, can work with the Housing Associations and their empty homes officer to deliver more homes, more quickly and effectively than one from central government.

The Government bailed out Banks to the tune of £500 billion, we are now asking that they bail out ordinary people to provide homes for them with a bit more than this £13 m.

Yours sincerely

Cllr David Fairbairn

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Lakenham