Clause 28
Greater London Authority Bill
4:30 pm
Andrew Pelling (Croydon Central, Conservative)
Indeed, it is amazing what one does during elections. However, I want to be serious in this debate, because there is a housing crisis in London and it is important that the legislation is effective and meets the needs of the 62,000 people who are homeless and the 360,000 people in overcrowded accommodation in London.
It is important for us to debate the efficacy of setting centrally driven targets for housing, whether nationally or regionally. The current system, particularly in London, has created a distortion in the supply of one and two-bedroom flats, when what is really needed is the provision of family housing, particularly houses with gardens. I do not believe that being opposed to back-garden development is an appropriate policy in Greater London. Such is the stress on housing in London that that is one place from which housing has to come.
Behind people’s concerns in this debate is a lack of confidence in the ability of local authorities to deliver on municipal and social housing. That is not my experience with my local authority in Croydon. I pay credit particularly to Councillor Dudley Mead, who led on housing before 1994 and who leads on it now. I am pleased that funds have come from the Government via the GLA for new council housing in Croydon. That is important, when my constituents face extreme overcrowding and are advised that their prospects for new social housing will see them re-housed in nine to 10 years.
There are significant votes in providing extra social and council housing in Greater London, but it is people locally who will be strongest in responding to that need and demand. It is more than likely that the initiative taken by a local authority will be blunted by the need to visit city hall and argue its case for one allocation or another. It would be much better if this issue were driven upwards, rather than downwards. That is the problem with the philosophy and approach behind all the amendments. Our approach has been about taking power downwards from the Government and the Government office for London and for giving the GLA responsibilities for the NHS in London and the learning and skills councils in London. Housing being built in localities in response to local pressures is best delivered by local authorities themselves.