Item 6 - Legislation affecting Housing in London: proposed influencing activity (E8/9)

Summary    

This paper updates London Councils Executive on work on the Government’s housing policies, particularly:
-    Housing association Right to Buy (RtB)
-    Forced sale of high value council properties
-    1% social rents cut
-    Welfare changes affecting housing 

Recommendations    

This paper recommends that the Executive:
•    supports London Councils’ proposals for engagement with officials and parliamentarians in relation to the Housing Bill to propose alternative options that will ensure the interests of London are protected in the implementation of the extended Right to Buy and forced high value council stock sales in the capital.

•    supports London Councils engaging with parliamentarians through the passage of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill to seek to amend the 1% cuts to social rents to reduce the negative impact on London’s housing.

•    supports London Councils engaging with parliamentarians through the passage of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill to mitigate the impact of the lower benefit cap on homelessness and temporary accommodation in London 

•    notes the potential cumulative impacts of these policies and others discussed in this report and supports London Councils pursuing a range of options for mitigations with government, examples of which are set out below.