MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF COUNCIL HOUSES

Early day motion 579, tabled 12 July 2005 by Brian Iddon (Labour). Signed by 55 members.

That this House welcomes the Government's target of decent homes for all council tenants by 2010-11 and the significantly increased investment in public sector housing; notes that the Government's current management and maintenance (M&M) allowances fall significantly short of the need established by the Building Research Establishment in Government funded research; further notes that a council tenant pays on average over £580 a year and £1.3 billion nationally more in rent than the combined total of the M&M allowance and major repair allowance; further notes that the Government's rent restructuring programme is raising rents significantly above the level of inflation; and calls on the Government to close this funding gap by increasing the M&M allowance, in order to manage and maintain council homes to a decent standard on an ongoing basis.

Signatures by party: Labour 44, Liberal Democrat 8, DUP 2, Conservative 1.