News from Southampton Labour

Whitehead urges Southampton City Council to build more homes

Dr Alan Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton Test, yesterday congratulated the Government in Prime Ministers’ Questions on its plan to kick-start council house building programmes by allowing local authorities to retain rents and money from newly built properties.

Following on from his question, the Test MP has called on Southampton City Council to make use of the new rules and start building homes in Southampton.

In his question to the Prime Minister Dr Whitehead said:

“May I welcome the plans and funding set out last week to enable local authorities to build 150,000 new council houses over the next 10 years? Does my right hon. and learned Friend have plans to ensure that those houses will be built to the highest sustainability standard and the highest possible level of the code for sustainable homes? Will she ensure that new local authority house building becomes an exemplar for sustainable and low-energy housing in this country?”

Harriet Harman, the Leader of the House of Commons, responded in place of the Prime Minister, who is currently in Italy:

“My hon. Friend is right: the new affordable home building taking place under ‘Building Britain’s Future’ is important not only because of the homes that it will provide and the jobs that will thereby be created, but because those homes will help to reduce carbon emissions and help the people who live in them to cut their fuel bills. The issues that my hon. Friend raises will be addressed.”

Speaking from Westminster, Dr Whitehead urged the city council to take advantage of the new programme:

“The government’s announcement means that the UK could be on the verge of the biggest house-building programme since the 1960s. Like much of the South East, we have a desperate housing shortage in Southampton and I think that where councils choose to invest their own money in new housing, they should be able to keep the income and capital returns from those additional homes. I want to urge the City Council to take advantage of the new rules which allow them to retain council-house rents and money from right-to-buy sales and use the funds to build more homes in Southampton. I also call on the City Council to ensure that all new council homes built in Southampton comply with the Sustainable Buildings Code, so that tenants can stay warm and save money while reducing their carbon footprint.”