Rounds Gardens is a good example of progress but we must do more
Today I went to Rounds Gardens, in my Ward of New Bilton, where the Rugby Borough Council housing blocks are being demolished due to safety and other concerns, and where according to the plans over 200 new social or council homes will be built.
I welcome this move to upgrade council housing in Rugby because council tenants deserve high-quality housing. It’s a good example of progress, but it’s not enough.
Watch my video reflecting on Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Angela Rayner’s announcement
You can find out more about the announcement by Rt Hon Angela Rayner, Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party here. It’s a plan backed by the National Housing Federation and the Chartered Institute for Housing and it will ensure that a Labour government, if we’re fortunate enough to be elected, will work with Local Authorities, developers and others to ensure that we build not just more homes but more social and affordable homes.
We must put the community’s interests at the heart of planning, and make sure that democratically elected politicians can ensure that people they represent have the affordable, high quality housing they deserve.
Angela Rayner said:
“Safe, secure, affordable home is the foundation of a good life and one that people are desperately waiting for. But over the last thirteen years, the Tories have taken a sledgehammer to that foundation and caused a housing emergency.
“The next Labour Government will deliver the biggest boost to affordable, social and council housing for a generation, and get those social homes built, brick by brick. We’ll start by rebuilding the dream of a safe, secure, affordable home that the Tories have taken a wrecking ball to over the last thirteen years.
“Developers have been let off the hook and for too long allowed to wriggle out of their responsibilities to provide new social and affordable homes. Labour will robustly hold them to account to deliver on their obligations to deliver affordable housing.“
