Changes to the massive negative subsisy that takes about £3 million per year from Council Tenants in King's Hedges, and just under £12 million from Cambridge as a whole, have been delayed again.
The Labour Government have delayed consultation on changes to the scheme, which was due to start in November last year until the "autumn" of this year.
The scheme must be changed to be fairer to areas like King's Hedges.
Amng the possible reasons for delay is the fact that the Labour Government is now taking a higher cut of the subsidy money to spend elsewhere in Government. The subsidy is no longer used to subsidise housing and has just become a tenant tax. Combined with the centrally imposed rent increases it starts to feel like a sustained attack on a group that includes some of the most vulnerable in our community.
Mike Pitt, along with Cllr Smart, the Executive Councillor for Housing, and tenant reps has recently written to the Secretary of State on these issue. The Labour spokesman on these issues on the Council didn't sign the letter.
Showing posts with label Negative Subsidy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Negative Subsidy. Show all posts
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Saturday, 26 July 2008
Tenants paying £195,816,938: The National Negative Subsidy!
Regular readers will be aware of the negative subsidy system and how this year it is costing Cambridge Council Tenants around £12million, around £3million from King's Hedges.
The claimed logic behind the scheme was that money from council tenants in wealthy areas could be used to help other council tenants in other areas. This has now been blown out of the water as nearly £200million is being kept by the Treasury from the fund that was supposed to be distributed to other councils.
In fact it always was a stealth tax to cover the fact the Labour government wasn't willing to improve the lot of those in poor conditions in a fair way. Now it is clear that it is just a stealth tax to help the Treasury out of a hole.
Lembit Opik MP, the Liberal Democrat shadow Housing Minister, observes that "following the 10p tax debacle, and now a massive tenant tax, it's clear that this is a government that is prepared to take from those who can least afford it just to balance its own books."
This tax is preventing us, and other council's including those who are supposed to get money under the system, from investing properly in our stock.
This is at a time when 1.67 million people are on waiting lists. A figure that is 60% higher than when Labour took office.
The LibDem policy is clear and summed up by Lembit: "It's time to scrap the tenant tax."
This press release summarises our policies, but to see in more detail what we'd do if we were in government have a look at our policy papers, particularly on housing and affordable homes.
The claimed logic behind the scheme was that money from council tenants in wealthy areas could be used to help other council tenants in other areas. This has now been blown out of the water as nearly £200million is being kept by the Treasury from the fund that was supposed to be distributed to other councils.
In fact it always was a stealth tax to cover the fact the Labour government wasn't willing to improve the lot of those in poor conditions in a fair way. Now it is clear that it is just a stealth tax to help the Treasury out of a hole.
Lembit Opik MP, the Liberal Democrat shadow Housing Minister, observes that "following the 10p tax debacle, and now a massive tenant tax, it's clear that this is a government that is prepared to take from those who can least afford it just to balance its own books."
This tax is preventing us, and other council's including those who are supposed to get money under the system, from investing properly in our stock.
This is at a time when 1.67 million people are on waiting lists. A figure that is 60% higher than when Labour took office.
The LibDem policy is clear and summed up by Lembit: "It's time to scrap the tenant tax."
This press release summarises our policies, but to see in more detail what we'd do if we were in government have a look at our policy papers, particularly on housing and affordable homes.
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Cambridge Standard Funding: Hawkins Road
On Tuesday the Housing Management Board of the City Council agreed a £44,000 project to try and improve the state of the flats in Hawkins Road (including those on Atkins, Larkin and so on).
The money will be spent on various work needed in the area: ranging from planting, to improved paths, doors, benches and windows and locks.
This is a very welcome investment in this area, one that needs a little help to get it towards the standard we want for Cambridge council housing. The hope is that raising the standard will get more residents involved as well.
Credit is due to the Hawks Resident group who have worked hard to get this work done: Especially to Kay!
One slight disappointment is that the work doesn't include the garage block, so I shall continue to campaign for these improvements.
If you feel that your estate would benefit from similar work next year, please get in touch with us. The HMB works with housing officers and tenants to prioritise areas.
This year we have funded three projects: as well as Hawkins, money has been spent on Maitland Avenue flats (in East Chesterton) and Ekin Rd (in Abbey).
Of course the amount we can spend on these projects is heavily limited by the nearly £12 million we have to give to Gordon Brown in negative subsidy. I was pleased to learn at the HMB that tenant's representatives will be lobbying parliament on this issue on Monday.
The money will be spent on various work needed in the area: ranging from planting, to improved paths, doors, benches and windows and locks.
This is a very welcome investment in this area, one that needs a little help to get it towards the standard we want for Cambridge council housing. The hope is that raising the standard will get more residents involved as well.
Credit is due to the Hawks Resident group who have worked hard to get this work done: Especially to Kay!
One slight disappointment is that the work doesn't include the garage block, so I shall continue to campaign for these improvements.
If you feel that your estate would benefit from similar work next year, please get in touch with us. The HMB works with housing officers and tenants to prioritise areas.
This year we have funded three projects: as well as Hawkins, money has been spent on Maitland Avenue flats (in East Chesterton) and Ekin Rd (in Abbey).
Of course the amount we can spend on these projects is heavily limited by the nearly £12 million we have to give to Gordon Brown in negative subsidy. I was pleased to learn at the HMB that tenant's representatives will be lobbying parliament on this issue on Monday.
Saturday, 26 April 2008
City council votes to campaign against negative subsidy
Cllr Upstone and I were pleased to vote at full council to support a motion calling for the members of the city council to condemn and campaign against the negative subsidy system.
The Liberal Democrat group all voted in support of the motion, but the Labour group voted against it. Some of their members spoke in favour of the system, incredibly saying it was fair to take money from some of the poorest residents of Cambridge, including some of the most vulnerable, to pay for repairs in big cities.
The King's Hedges team will continue to work against the negative subsidy scheme. We want to ensure a fair deal for tenants and that £3m a year isn't taken out of King's Hedges by Gordon Brown.
We could make a real difference in King's Hedges with that money.
The Liberal Democrat group all voted in support of the motion, but the Labour group voted against it. Some of their members spoke in favour of the system, incredibly saying it was fair to take money from some of the poorest residents of Cambridge, including some of the most vulnerable, to pay for repairs in big cities.
The King's Hedges team will continue to work against the negative subsidy scheme. We want to ensure a fair deal for tenants and that £3m a year isn't taken out of King's Hedges by Gordon Brown.
We could make a real difference in King's Hedges with that money.
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
Negative Subsidy: £3m from King's Hedges
Of the £12million that is taken from Cambridge council tenant's rents to pay for repairs in other cities that the Labour government is unwilling to fund itself, we have worked out that about £3million is being taken from King's Hedges this year.
Imagine what could be done in King's Hedges with that amount of money! We could build new homes, or improve many homes that we have to wait for work on.
The Liberal Democrats are campaigning against it. David Howarth, our MP, and the City Council, led by Catherine Smart, the chief councillor for housing, have talked to the government about this unfair scheme asking them to end it. The LibDem party has voted that should we be in power we would scrap the scheme. Watch this space for more news!
Imagine what could be done in King's Hedges with that amount of money! We could build new homes, or improve many homes that we have to wait for work on.
The Liberal Democrats are campaigning against it. David Howarth, our MP, and the City Council, led by Catherine Smart, the chief councillor for housing, have talked to the government about this unfair scheme asking them to end it. The LibDem party has voted that should we be in power we would scrap the scheme. Watch this space for more news!
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