{"id":48510,"date":"2014-10-09T10:07:44","date_gmt":"2014-10-09T10:07:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=545cf8c336295003b6ba866fab844fd6"},"modified":"2014-10-09T10:07:44","modified_gmt":"2014-10-09T10:07:44","slug":"press-release-councils-can-do-their-bit-to-get-britain-building","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=48510","title":{"rendered":"Press release: Councils can do their bit to get Britain building"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Housing Minister Brandon Lewis today (9 October 2014) announced new powers for councils to help them build new affordable homes across the country.<\/p>\n

The minister confirmed that 22 councils will be able to borrow an additional \u00a3122 million over the next 2 years to deliver over 1,700 new affordable homes and support local growth.<\/p>\n

But with \u00a3178 million still up for grabs, Mr Lewis argued that more councils should be putting themselves forward \u2013 especially as many have asked for the very borrowing powers that are being offered.<\/p>\n

Building more affordable homes<\/h2>\n

Housebuilding is a central part of the government\u2019s long-term economic plan: since 2010 nearly half a million new homes have been delivered, including 200,000 affordable homes.<\/p>\n

In 2012, the government changed the Housing Revenue Account subsidy system so councils keep all the rents they collect from their homes, and all receipts from any sales of houses or land, giving them the freedom to invest them in building new homes.<\/p>\n

Most recently, council housing starts have hit a 23-year high.<\/p>\n

Already, 16 councils have been given the go-ahead to borrow \u00a362 million in additional funds to deliver over 1,000 new affordable homes.<\/p>\n

Today, Mr Lewis confirmed that a further \u00a360 million borrowing would be made available including to 6 new councils.<\/p>\n

This takes the total to \u00a3122 million additional borrowing powers granted to 22 councils, to deliver over 1,700 new affordable homes over the next 2 years.<\/p>\n

But Mr Lewis said this was just the first step: with just 1 week left to bid for the second round of extra borrowing available, he challenged councils who had not already done so to come forward.<\/p>\n

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said:<\/p>\n

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Today, I\u2019m giving borrowing powers to 22 councils who over the next 2 years will use that to build over 1,700 new affordable homes for their communities.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s one of the many things we\u2019ve done that have got Britain building \u2013 with housebuilding levels now at their highest since 2007 and climbing.<\/p>\n

But with \u00a3178 million additional borrowing still up for grabs I want more councils to do their bit, to follow in the footsteps of these 22, and bid for the very powers they asked for.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Further information<\/h2>\n

Ministers are clear that the programme is a responsible way to offer councils extra borrowing powers, but confirmed there were no plans to remove borrowing limits as any extra council borrowing would count as additional public debt at a time when the government\u2019s clear priority is to cut the deficit.<\/p>\n

The 6 councils receiving new borrowing powers from today are:<\/p>\n