With the clock ticking down to the
next General Election – you can already feel the mood and the perhaps, less
than subtle, subliminal electioneering messages emanating from Westminster.
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| Whoever has the key to Downing Street in 2015 has the chance to shape housing |
But with 16 months to go until polling
day – now’s the opportunity for everyone – politicians, prospective politicians,
housing professionals and, most importantly, tenants and local families – to
help shape the debate around our country’s (and indeed our city’s) future
housing need.
I think most people agree – we need to
build more affordable homes to stimulate the economy and ease the social and
welfare system pressures. But where we can’t seem to find a consensus is around
how we do that, how we fund that – and who does it.
Earlier this week, the NationalFederation of ALMOs, of which Wolverhampton Homes is a proud member, became the
first housing group to launch it Election Manifesto.
It’s an easy read – with a series of
very simple messages.
We all know the stark financial and
economic realities we’re operating in – and in which the new government, whoever
it may be, will find themselves in.
Whether it’s cuts to local council services or the real human costs where
we see hundreds of local people in our city visiting Food Banks every week just
to get a hot meal for their families. What’s even more alarming is that an
increasing number of those are people are in fulltime paid work, but who still desperately
struggle to make ends meet.
But our aspirations and drive in the
ALMO-sector needn’t be dampened by the financial constraints we find ourselves
operating in. There are new challenges and new opportunities out there to
support and encourage economic growth in our towns and cities. Providing decent
affordable homes, great customer service and empowering tenants to build for
themselves a better future needn’t break the bank. There are in fact lots of ways
in which the new government can kick-start a housing revolution in this
country.
Building new houses creates new jobs,
boosts the economy and provides much needed homes. ALMOs have a great track
record of delivering new builds. And why are ALMOs well placed to do this? I
think it’s because we’re in a unique position where it’s our tenants who drive
the agenda. What better way to drive success and raise standards than having
those who are directly affected by what we do, at the helm.
But it’s not just about building new
homes – it’s about:
- being more energy efficient
- driving up standards in the private rented sector
- tackling fuel poverty
- tackling the challenges of welfare reform
- providing more skills and training opportunities
- getting more people online
- offering more debt advice services and support to credit unions.
The full NFA Manifesto is available to
read online. Take a few minutes to take a look and decide for
yourselves whether you think your elected representatives should be looking
closer at the NFAs proposals to build a brighter future for our local
communities.
So, now’s the time to contact your
local MPs and local candidates to explain that it can be done – and,
importantly, for economic and social prosperity, it desperately needs to be
done.
