News from Westminster Labour

Shock at Westminster promotion of “tied cottage” Tory

Westminster City Council’s new Deputy Cabinet member for Housing Policy believes in turning all council rented flats into “tied cottages” where tenants would be evicted when they leave their jobs.

Councillor Dr Ian Rowley, who was promoted by Council leader Colin Barrow this week, wrote an article for think tank Localis earlier this year. In the article, he accuses people living in council and housing association flats in Westminster of enjoying £1 million subsidies “in many cases”. He says that “lifetime assured tenure needs to be removed”.

After urging that council flats be sold off and tenants shifted to outer London, he urges that new tenancies are kept short-term tenancies and to bring back a tied cottage system in central London.

Rowley says:

“Key workers in both the private sector and public sector needed to fill jobs, for social balance and social cohesion should have access as part of their employment terms”, with access to housing depending on “contribution to society”.

Westbourne ward Labour Councillor David Boothroyd hit back at Councillor Rowley’s article. He said:

“Ian Rowley is making a bold bid to be the Alan B’Stard of the 21st century. His policy means people renting council homes would be evicted if they moved jobs, based on the council’s assessment of their ‘contribution to society’. What about people who change job or who are made redundant or retire?”

He added:

“Colin Barrow must have known Cllr Rowley had these views when he promoted him. Does this mean that he wants to introduce this appalling policy? Westminster’s council tenants deserve to be told.”