Open Letter to Steve Reed
Dear Steve,
Congratulations on your promotion! I am not sure whether you will remember me, but as a young (ish) London councillor, we met at London Leaders back in 2007/8. I reported back to my Council that there is this chap in Lambeth who has taken a one-star rated failing authority and is turning it around in record time. I also told them that you are going to win the next election because you are focussing on residents’ priorities and not playing silly Party political games. That of course proved to be the case in 2010 when you increased your majority on the day we lost control of the Council…
But on to your promotion. It is the Government’s flag-ship department. It’s the department that needs to deliver the 1.5 million homes and at last make a dent in the housing crisis. Hand-in-hand with that is the fact that these developments are essential for the economy. The sad reality is that the only significant “manufacturing” we have in the Country is house-building… the money generated doesn’t just contribute c.a. 10% of GDP, it also generates the money for infrastructure that the Government otherwise can’t fund. So no pressure there then!
There are a few things that you need to sort out ASAP:
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill: It is now months and months overdue. We need this legislation to be passed and implemented. It will take time to get the changes to schemes of delegation and to planning committees to the practically rolled out and the clock is ticking. We have about four years left and the number of completed homes have gone down, not up!
New Towns Commission: It was supposed to report six months after the election…. That was almost a year ago. You were the brain behind Nine Elms and you know yourself how long that is taking to deliver… If these New Towns are going to make any impact, they need get going.
Local Plan making: Or as we knew it, Core Strategies. It’s all carrot and no stick. Your department said all Councils should be making a Local Plan in the next 30 months. And that is GREAT! However, there is no indication of what will happen to those Councils who fail to do this. May I politely suggest that your Department start withholding their financial settlement until they actually do work to deserve it?
Councils who fail to deliver housing: May I suggest you take the same approach you did with the “Name and Shame” campaign on drugs? Name the Councils and shame the Councils who refuse to adhere to the Government’s flag-ship policy of 1.5 million homes. Perhaps it is also time to consider stronger action against Councillors who squander public funds on futile refusals of public money. Back in the day, Councillors used to be held personally financially responsible for stupid decisions that cost the Council money.
Finally, Local Government Reorganisation: Just get on with it! Speed up the implementation! We need efficiency.
Do get in touch if you want to chat more.
Best wishes,
Henry