Calderdale Council: Reform promise ‘local housing primarily and firstly for local people’
Calderdale Council’s new ruling administration are pledging a “local housing firstly for local people” policy, says the authority’s leader.
Coun Dan Sutherland said this was an election pledge and would involve “engagement” with social housing landlords to see it implemented.
Earlier this year his Reform UK group lost a debate on the issue after proposing a motion on social housing to a meeting of the full Calderdale Council.
Reform UK won a majority in May’s elections, winning control of Calderdale Council from Labour.
In a recorded message on the council’s social media pages, Coun Sutherland said social housing was a priority.
He said: “Too often, when it comes to social housing, people feel that others are able to jump the waiting list. We’ve seen ample evidence of this happening.
“We believe firmly that local housing should be primarily and firstly for local people.
“We will be doing everything in our power to bring that forward and we will be engaging with those social housing landlords to make sure that they comply with that policy.”
Reform UK’s motion to full council in February called on a “fair priority” for local people with strong connections to Calderdale in accessing social housing, particularly when new ones are being built.
However, Labour councillors successfully amended the motion, arguing that existing policy for the borough’s largest social housing provider, Together Housing, which is exercised in partnership with Calderdale Council and providers, already has a local connection requirement for those applying.
Labour’s amendment saw a majority of councillors agree that “a lettings policy that recognises local connection criteria is already in place.”
Coun Sutherland responded that his group had acknowledged the existing requirement but more needed to be done.