You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Council boss warns against local authority ‘can’t do’ attitude towards housebuilding
A chief executive at a large council in the North East has claimed that some local authority officers have adopted a “can’t do” approach to housebuilding in response to deep cuts to local government budgets.
Sheena Ramsey, chief executive of Gateshead Council, was speaking at the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH)’s annual conference on Tuesday during a session on the opportunities and risks for local authority development.
“Get people in a room, tell them what you want and say we aren’t letting you out until we have sorted it,” she told delegates.
“Local government went through a really torrid time and it has taken a long time to get people’s heads back up.”
READ MORE
She was responding to an audience question from Teresa Cullen, chair of the housing committee at Broxtowe Borough Council, who revealed that the authority’s chief executive had warned that setting too high a development target risked making the administration “look stupid”.
Earlier in the session, Danielle Gillespie, general manager for the North at Homes England, said it is “very clear that local authorities have a significant role to play in delivering the homes that our country needs”.
However, she added that there are “issues we need to work through, not least around capacity”.
Research released by the Royal Town Planning Institute ahead of the conference indicated that councils in England directly delivered more than 13,000 homes in 2017/18, which would be the highest level since 1990.
More from Housing 2019
What’s happening at Housing 2019?
Dispatches from Housing 2019 – Thursday Our round-up of the third and final day
Whatever Theresa May says, social housing is still the victim of a focus on homeownership Editor Martin Hilditch gives Inside Housing’s verdict to the prime minister’s speech
Your Housing 2019 tweets: a selection of tweets from the conference
Theresa May believes in a change of direction – but will Johnson or Hunt pay any attention? Jules Birch gives his take on Theresa May’s speech to Housing 2019
Watch Theresa May’s speech: a video of the prime minister’s speech to Housing 2019 in full
Dispatches from Housing 2019 – Wednesday The key takeaways from day two of the conference and exhibition
John Healey on Grenfell, Boris Johnson and Labour housing policy Ahead of his speech to Housing 2019, the shadow housing secretary takes part in a Q&A with Inside Housing
Dispatches from Housing 2019 – Tuesday Our round-up of all the key talking points in Manchester on the first day of the conference
Housing Heroes 2019 winners announced Find out the 17 winners and 14 commendations at the ceremony on Monday ahead of the conference and exhibition
In full: Terrie Alafat’s opening address to Housing 2019 The full text of the speech given by the chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing to open Housing 2019
What will the Hackitt Review changes mean for you? Conference speaker Debbie Larner writes for Inside Housing about building safety
Inside Housing and Aico competition: tell us about your resident safety campaign We launch a new competition to promote fire and carbon monoxide safety
The latest news headlines from the conference:
Next PM will be committed to social housing, says Brokenshire
Homes England strategic partners to get £1bn cash boost
John Healey blasts May's housing record
Don't wait for Hackitt legislation to push ahead with building safety, says MHCLG official
Theresa May: ‘social housing a victim of drive for homeownership’
‘No-deal Brexit an opportunity for housing’, claim sector figures
Banks’ appetite to lend threatens offsite take-up, warns major landlord
Minister: funding allocations should be based on joint-agency working
Sector warned that fire safety costs could eat up HRA cap windfall
Theresa May to give speech at Housing 2019 conference
Regulator ‘found no breaches’ following Dispatches programme on Sanctuary
No funding for removal of combustible balconies, says Malthouse
MHCLG housing supply chief: affordable housing grant increase ‘on the table’ for Spending Review
‘We have got to do the right thing’ on affordable housing, says land director of Homes England
Council boss warns against local authority ‘can’t do’ attitude towards housebuilding
Terrie Alafat says Spending Review must ‘make a real difference’
Sector needs £146bn from government over a decade to end housing crisis, says NHF
Savills housing sector survey: building homes more important than existing stock to housing leaders
Morning Briefing: thousands descend on Manchester for Housing 2019
We are bringing you the most up-to-date, comprehensive coverage of #CIHHousing anywhere, including:
— Inside Housing (@insidehousing)
All the biggest #ukhousing stories
Live tweeting from the key sessions
A daily newsletter rounding up the key talking points
Daily magazines of conference newsWe are bringing you the most up-to-date, comprehensive coverage of #CIHHousing anywhere, including:
— Inside Housing (@insidehousing) June 26, 2019
All the biggest #ukhousing stories
Live tweeting from the key sessions
A daily newsletter rounding up the key talking points
Daily magazines of conference news
