TENANTS IN WALES are proving to be much more positive about stock transfer than their counterparts in Scotland. Two ballots this month have ended in ‘yes’ votes. In Rhondda Cynon Taf, they voted 58% in favour of a move to RCT Homes on a 55% turnout. Earlier, tenants in Monmouthshire voted 60% for a transfer
London’s suburbs are in danger of becoming dormitories with no jobs as they gear up for more new homes, according to a report by the London Assembly. Housing associations will be able to take greater risks in the financial markets under new treasury management rules, according to Inside Housing. The Housing Corporation has published a
England is receiving a disproportionately high number of immigrants to the UK a cross party group of MPs has found. Between 1991 and 2007, 2.15 million immigrants arrived in England, compared to 105,000 in Scotland, 56,000 for Wales and 27,000 to Northern Ireland. England’s population could increase by nearly 10 million people in the next
A veto for the secretary of state for Wales over new housing laws may be illegal. The Welsh assembly government is seeking the right to legislate on housing, including the right to suspend the sale of council houses, through the legislative competence order. However, there is ‘constitutional doubt’ about the legality of such a veto
Economic gains in deprived parts of Wales in the past 10 years have been wiped out by the recession, and worse is still to come. A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and New Policy Institute found that, compared with other parts of the UK, economic recovery since 1997 was slower to kick in and
The Bank of England this morning announced details of a £50 billion plan aimed at halting the spread of the credit crisis. Banks can swap UK and European mortgage debts for secure government bonds for a period of a year (with the potential to renew them for up to three years). However, the swap will
Welsh council house tenants are subsidising social housing in England, Welsh Liberal Democrat housing spokesperson Peter Black has claimed. He launched the attack on the ‘convoluted’ arrangements which sees all but one Welsh local authority which owns council houses return rental receipts to the Treasury. He argues that changes to the housing revenue subsidy system
A council has come to the aid of people threatened with homelessness after Shelter Cymru was forced to withdraw some of its advice services because of a funding shortfall. Caerphilly council has increased its funding for frontline services saying it believed the funding boost was a wise move that would save the council money in
Scottish Conservatives want to scrap Communities Scotland and stage a major expansion of shared ownership through affordable housing trusts. Their chances of winning the Scottish elections are close to zero but could the plans be a signal of national policy? The Scotsman covers the issues in detail. The Welsh assembly government has launched a new
According to the Times today, Gordon Brown could announce as soon as next Tuesday a ’mortgage rescue’ package – a series of measures aimed at encouraging councils and housing associations to offer struggling homeowners financial help in return for a financial stake in their homes. The newspaper understands that town halls will also offer first-time