Ian Austin MP calls for plan to tackle West Midlands housing crisis
An MP today urged West Midlands Mayor Andy Street to tackle the region’s housing crisis and enable more families to buy or rent a home of their own.
Dudley North MP and former housing minister Ian Austin highlighted research that showed that the number of homes in the region has barely increased in recent years.
Meanwhile, home ownership has fallen and private renting has doubled.
Mr Austin called on Mr Street to campaign for the Government to hand over responsibility for the region’s £1.2 billion housing benefit bill.
He said the move would encourage councils and housing associations to cut the rising housing bill and make savings which could then be reinvested in housing.
He said the West Midlands Combined Authority should also be calling for control of the Homes and Communities Agency’s budget for the Combined Authority area which is worth around £100 million over five years.
Mr Austin said: “We all know families stuck in unsuitable rented accommodation desperate to buy a home of their own or get a secure home they can afford to rent.
“But the number of homes has barely increased for years, home ownership has fallen, private renting has doubled and the costs of buying or renting a home in the private sector have rocketed.
“I think we need a mayor who will come up with new ideas to raise funding for the homes local people need and campaign for the devolution of funding from the Government so that decisions are made here in the West Midlands and those funds can be combined with other sources of funding available to get the region building.”
Mr Austin said work needs to be done to examine how the £11bn West Midlands local government pension fund could boost housing investment.
He said the West Midlands Combined Authority could use its resources to speed up the planning system and accelerate development, work with local authorities and the Government to make scarce resources go further.
He also called on it to introduce better procurement policies and use its compulsory purchase powers to bring more of the region’s 28,000 empty homes into use so that families can move into them.
The MP called for the establishment of new community land trusts which, it is claimed, are reducing the cost of buying a home in London by two-thirds.
Andy Street’s office today declined to comment on Mr Austin’s comments.
