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Politician says no to a mass housing plan (From Worcester News)
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Politician says no to a mass housing plan
9:50am Tuesday 12th May 2009
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- By Richard Vernalls » twitter.com/rvernallsWN
THE shadow housing minister has repeated an election promise to scrap current plans to build thousands of houses.
Grant Shapps said the Tories would do away with proposals for 24,500 houses across south Worcestershire but cautioned councils against relying on any Government to support any new infrastructure following the election.
Mr Shapps was visiting Lower Broadheath, near Worcester, to talk to parish and district councillors about the Conservative’s promise to give councils responsibility for housing developments on Monday.
He criticised the “centralisation” of the planning system under the regional spatial strategy (RSS), which has seen district councils drawing up plans for thousands of homes to meet Government growth targets.
Mr Shapps said: “We will scrap the RSS and go back to the district level. At the moment, local authrorities have been told how many houses they need, but instead we would ask them how many they need.
“We think that’s the way to get houses built.”
He repeated plans to grant incentives to councils who build homes including returning all council tax receipts to local authorities who agree developments.
Councillors would also get powers to lower business rates to encourage start-ups and employers.
He unveiled proposals for Local Homes Trusts which would allow villages like Lower Broadheath to buy plots of land on which to build affordable houses solely for use by people from the village.
Although the Conservatives want new housing, Mr Shapps cast doubt on the accuracy of the latest Government numbers suggesting there will be another 26,000 households between now and 2026 in south Worcestershire, 3,000 more than previously thought.
But he suggested with the country’s finances in a bad state and councils unable to rely on planning windfall cash from developers, councils may struggle to fund infrastructure such as schools and roads. Mr Shapps said: “I wouldn’t say that local authorities are on their own but I don’t want to raise expectations. If we get rid of these quangos like the regional development agencies that will free up some money.”
An examination in public of the regional spatial strategy is currently running in Wolverhampton.
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Your Say Your Worcester
crowquill, Pershore says...
2:50pm Tue 12 May 09
Sounds in fact just like the present government to me!
What is wrong with giving councils responsibility for housing developments
and granting incentives to councils who build homes?
This sounds like a much better idea than the present dictatorship, and given that we cannot rely on any Government to support any new infrastructure following the election, due to the present government bankrupting the country. It seems far more sensible to allow the local authority to decide what is sustainable and can be supported.
rgdudley, Worcester says...
3:16pm Tue 12 May 09
crowquill wrote:You can't do that - it would be democracy!
Worcesterchick. Ha Ha Ha "increase homelessness? Put more people out of work? Which will in turn reduce the local disposable income? Shut shops down? See schools struggling again?" Sounds in fact just like the present government to me! What is wrong with giving councils responsibility for housing developments and granting incentives to councils who build homes? This sounds like a much better idea than the present dictatorship, and given that we cannot rely on any Government to support any new infrastructure following the election, due to the present government bankrupting the country. It seems far more sensible to allow the local authority to decide what is sustainable and can be supported.
BarryB, Worcester says...
8:42pm Tue 12 May 09
On the 6.0pm News (BBC) tonight, under her Labour Government unemployment rose by over 200,000 in the past quarter, with unemployment figures rising at the highest rate in 30 years. They now stand at almost 2 1/4 Million.
Then an absolute "pearler" - SEE HOW CAPITAL EXPENDITURE IS HELPING THE COUNTRY, really Worcesterchick, where exactly is the help going, how is it manifesting itself, who are benefitting with all this new unemployment and more importantly, WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM, oh! yes, sorry, this is part of the two trillion pounds we will be in debt by the time Brown has finished, what you term, his capital investment in the country.
Now, the "shut shops", at the last estimate under your Labour regime, 1000 small businesses were going bust each week including hundreds of small shops.
Struggling schools, take your pick of those in dire financial straights, what about those built under PFI struggling to pay the rent and more importantly, what about the school - again on tonights news - was it the roof that collapsed injuring many pupils - I'll bet they wish they had some money to repair the roof before it collapsed.
Once again we have fiction made to look like fact from worcesterchick, as another blogger said the other day, she is one of the 23% who blindly follow this Labour disaster - you continue to do that worcesterchick - they will lead you right over the edge of the cliff. Please, please get your facts right and don't quote dogma.
Malvern, Malvern says...
3:09am Wed 13 May 09
BarryB, Worcester says...
11:30am Wed 13 May 09
Malvern, Malvern says...
5:08pm Wed 13 May 09
BarryB, Worcester says...
5:24pm Wed 13 May 09
Unemployment figures, 6.0pm BBC TV news, Tuesday, Tuesday 12th May. They were quoting Government figures.
2 Trillion Total debt under New Labour, IMF, FSA, Bank of England, European Bank, this Government - all on numerous occasions together with all the financial broadcasting pundits.
Closing businesses, Sir Digby Jones two weeks ago on TV, the business Minister, Peter Mandelson a few nights ago.
Schools struggling to meet their bills and upkeep, a big issue at the Conference of the National Union of Head Teachers only a week ago at which Ed Balls commented on the Heads attitude to the SATS exams.
I only deal with facts, not words plucked out of the air for effect. We have had this from Labour for years and I thought the truth was catching on with their supporters but with worcesterchick and possibly yourself, it doesn't seem so.
Malvern, Malvern says...
9:25am Thu 14 May 09
BarryB, Worcester says...
12:26pm Thu 14 May 09
The lesson I learned a long time ago was never commit anything to print unless you can support it with facts. I also doubt whether we would be in this mess if any other Government was in power from whatever other party, Tory or Lib Dem. Nobody else could "muck up" big time like this Labour Government.
Malvern, Malvern says...
1:27pm Thu 14 May 09
BarryB, Worcester says...
5:04pm Thu 14 May 09
I agree, the Guillotine is the solution but then, I would be joining in the fighting as to who wears the black cap and releases the catch. A lovely job, I can savour it now.
NO TO HOUSING PLAN: Conservative parliamentary candidate for West Worcestershire Harriett Baldwin, left, and shadow housing minister Grant Shapps, far right, with Hallow and Lower Broadheath residents
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worcesterchick, worcester says...
11:55am Tue 12 May 09