Mayor Fights Back Door Raid On Housing Budget

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has pledged to step in and plug a funding gap after the Government reneged on promises to fund homes in the capital.

The Mayor believes the government is ignoring London's acute need for more new homes by cutting its share of the affordable housing budget and diverting funds to the regions with comparatively less need to meet national short-term build targets. In particular, north east England sees its share of the budget double, when it only has 300 households living in temporary accommodation, compared to 48,000 households in London.


In a letter to John Healey, Minister of State for Communities and Local Government, the Mayor expressed concern that the funding being diverted to other regions is largely being paid for by raiding budgets set aside to upgrade over 100,000 of London's poorest quality social homes. The Government is reneging on promises to around a quarter of a million of London's poorest tenants by delaying improvement to their homes, the letter said.

Mr Johnson said: "As Mayor, it is my job to defend the capital's budgets and the city's poorest. I am looking at how I can use my powers to win back London's rightful share of new housing funds, and reverse those decisions that condemn many of London's poorest families to live in unacceptably poor conditions.

"If the Government will not live up to commitments made to council tenants, then I will guarantee Londoners that I will make up for these broken promises by reversing the Government's decision and ensuring this funding gap is filled."

(CD/KMcA)