News from Cornwall Labour

Labour candidate challenges Council to meet need for affordable homes in Cornwall

On the day that Cornwall Council appointed its new portfolio holders for Housing and Planning, Charlotte MacKenzie, Labour parliamentary candidate for Truro and Falmouth, asked Councillor Mark Kaczmarek and Councillor Graeme Hicks to meet her to discuss how the new Council will meet the need for local affordable housing.

Hundreds of people have signed Labour’s petition (on and offline) to meet the need for local affordable homes. The petition – which will go to Cornwall Council – can be signed at:

http://charlottemackenzie.com

Following the meeting on Monday 29 June, Charlotte MacKenzie said:

“We had a good discussion in which I pressed the new portfolio holders on the need for positive action by Cornwall Council to deliver more affordable homes despite the challenging context.

“It’s vital that more homes are made available for the 18,000 households on waiting lists in Cornwall. The Council is already committed to completing over 2000 homes each year up to 2011, it will take positive leadership to make that happen in the present climate, and with Government backing more could be achieved.

“Cornwall Council is a major landowner. The challenge to the new Council is to bid for funding, build, release their land, give go ahead to planning permissions, and adjust allocations policy to meet local needs for affordable homes.

“Cornwall Council has said it wants to provide more strategic leadership locally. This is their opportunity to make a real difference for people with local housing needs.”

Other news from Cornwall Labour

• Conservative cuts to Sure Start "devastating" for Cornwall - 17 March 2010
• A fresh approach to Cornwall's waste management - 16 March 2010
• MacKenzie backs children's charities in Cornwall - 12 March 2010