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A Record of Action….A Promise of More!
- In 2005/06 only 292 affordable homes were built in Cornwall. By 2008/09 that was more than doubled to 750.
- We have innovated with affordable shared-ownership schemes to help local people buy their first home, and invested in improving council homes.
- We successfully led the campaign to end the unfair half price Council tax discount the Conservatives gave second home owners, spending the money raised on new affordable homes.
- The Government has agreed to implement 46 out of 48 of Matthew Taylor MP’s recommendations last year to the Prime Minister on reforming planning to support rural communities with more affordable homes and better paid jobs for local people.
- In February the Labour Government forced Cornwall Council to increase rent on council houses by 5.5% for 2009/10. We campaigned for a lower increase and the Government have now agreed to allow us to cut the rent rise to 2.4%, saving families over £90 this year.
- We will ensure at least 1200 new energy efficient homes earmarked for local families and guaranteed to be affordable in perpetuity, are delivered every year.
- We will enable local communities to identify need and suitable sites for affordable homes appropriate to their village, and help them deliver their plans through Community Land Trusts and other affordable housing solutions.
- We will take the money we receive from second home owners’ Council Tax and plough every penny back into providing more affordable homes for local people.
- We understand that homes in our communities are important – but so are quality jobs. We will apply a more responsive and speedy approach to planning to allow small businesses to grow appropriately and support people who want to work from home.
- We will involve the community in planning the growth of market towns to provide attractive new neighbourhoods with open spaces, shops, facilities and work places as well as affordable and market homes, in preference to huge suburban style housing estates.
- We will campaign for rapid Government changes to bring Cornwall’s share of national funding for affordable homes up to at least the national average
Compare the difference!
- The Conservative Government sold off council housing but did not invest the proceeds in new affordable homes. As a result Cornwall now has one of the lowest proportions of affordable homes in the country, and one of the worst housing problems. Plus the Conservatives gave half price Council Tax to holiday home owners, boosting demand for holiday homes and helping raise house prices way beyond local wages.
- Under Labour, the gap between low local wages and high house prices is now amongst the worst in the UK, whilst affordable housing waiting lists and homelessness in Cornwall are at record levels. The Cornish housing problem has turned into a housing crisis, yet Labour still refuse to even acknowledge that second homes cause real problems in small rural communities.
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