Housing
Former Cabinet minister laments lack of planning reform
A former housing secretary has said the Conservatives’ lack of action on planning to speed up housebuilding may cost the party in the General Election.
Homes for Ukraine two years on: Safe and welcomed
Two years on from the instigation of the Homes for Ukraine scheme councils remain keen to work with government to meet the long-term needs of Ukrainians, says Cllr Kevin Bentley.
Jenrick leads new charge to axe nutrient neutrality laws
Former housing secretary Robert Jenrick is leading Tory calls for the Government to renew efforts to axe nutrient neutrality laws and boost house building.
Smarter spend will get Britain building again
Stephen Muers says policymakers must ‘spend smarter’ to tackle the temporary housing crisis, and he proposes a solution to the funding gap.
Setting out the foundation of a long-term housing plan
Over the coming weeks, CCN will outline a host of different reforms, from improving delivery of all housing tenures to resourcing planning departments better, writes Simon Edwards.
Local government can drive an inclusive transition to net zero
Emily Morrison calls for a place-based approach to net zero transition, saying national policy is failing to support the UK’s poorest households towards a carbon-neutral future.
'Housing emergency' council calls for Whitehall action
A council that recently declared a housing emergency has written to six Whitehall departments, urging them to ‘take decisive action’ because the situation is deteriorating.
Limited exemptions for empty homes powers
Councils will face only a limited number of exemptions from new powers allowing them to levy higher taxes on empty homes, ministers have confirmed.
Right to Buy lobbying fails as Treasury ends temporary boost
The Treasury has confirmed councils will no longer keep 100% of Right to Buy (RTB) receipts after the current financial year despite lobbying by the sector.
Cladding issue could be 'tip of iceberg'
Barnet LBC has warned fire safety issues with nearly 600 low-rise homes could be ‘just the tip of the iceberg across the country’.
Daring to be bold
The MJ’s series on building a new vision for local government, drawing from the 2007 Lyons Review, continues as Piali Das Gupta looks at how councils can do hard things successfully. 'We should have every confidence in the strength of our offer.'
Craig's call for asylum change
Manchester City Council’s leader has urged Whitehall to implement ‘simple changes’ to asylum policy to ease huge pressures on major urban centres.
'Culture of mistrust' found at Newham
Newham LBC’s chief executive has vowed to tackle the ‘culture of mistrust’ among politicians and officers laid bare by a critical peer review.
Call for Whitehall homelessness strategy after rough sleeping spike
London Councils has called for a cross-departmental strategy to reduce homelessness after Government data showed a 30% rise in rough sleeping in a year.
Government 'recognises' increased temporary accommodation demand
The Government has said it recognises the challenges local authorities face in responding to the increased demand for temporary housing.
What are the chances of a Budget boost?
New SIGOMA analysis highlights the huge decline in funding in recent years and the sector desperately needs a boost, says Heather Jameson. 'But the chances of one arriving in a tax-slashing pre-election Budget are slim.'
Home Office 'chaos' leaves thousands of illegal arrivals in 'perma-backlog'
The Government’s struggling asylum policy has heaped significant demand on cities’ housing services, experts have warned.
Regulator calls for 'substantial' planning intervention
The planning system requires ‘substantial intervention’ by the Government to ensure consistent delivery of new homes, a major study has concluded.
How can we plan for the future of urban regeneration?
With public funding for development down and expectations up, Nick Walkley says the future of regeneration will need new forms of collaboration across sectors.
Right to Buy scheme is in need of urgent reform
The Government should use the Spring Budget to set out key reforms to the outdated Right to Buy scheme to ensure it works for everyone, argues Cllr Darren Rodwell.