LOCAL HOUSING - LOCAL SOLUTIONS REPORT

That this House supports the publication of the Local Government Association document Local Housing - Local Solutions: the case for self-determination, which welcomes the commitment from politicians of all parties to good housing conditions and the need to build more homes; notes that the current system of funding council housing is unfair, ineffective, promotes a short-term approach to investment and is under-funded; asks that councils be released from this inefficient system; and calls on the Government to scrap the current Housing Revenue Account system and replace it with a fairer, more efficient localised system, giving councils financial self-determination but allowing support for those councils who find this unviable, and addressing the potential financial problems which could be created by removal of positive subsidy payments, enabling all councils to invest in their housing and to contribute to local economies.