Elaine Abbot says more can be done for housing in Preston

Larches resident and campaigner, Elaine Abbot has slammed Labour’s paltry budget to help housing in Preston. Elaine was the former cabinet member for housing on Preston City Council.

Elaine explained, “Under Labour’s budget proposals they boast of putting £50,000 into a large affordable housing site for one year only. What they don’t tell you is that they will be getting an extra £188k this year rising to £314k by 2015/16. That is over £1m over the next four years from the New Homes Bonus. There is no question that this money should be going into new homes for social rent, not just a measly £50k.”

The New Homes Bonus is an initiative of the coalition government to match fund the additional Council Tax raised for new homes and empty properties brought back into use, with an additional amount for affordable homes, for the next six years. It ensures that those local authorities which promote and welcome growth can share in the economic benefits and build the communities in which people want to live and work. 

Elaine Abbot added, “We all remember the mistakes of the last Conservative government failing to reinvest monies raised from the right to buy scheme into local communities. Instead of investing this money in desperately needed new homes and bringing empty homes back into use, this Labour controlled council are fritting away taxpayers money into a bottomless pit of unsustainable spending.”