Council Leader Blog: Bringing people together to tackle our housing crisis

Last month, I spelled out how the national housing crisis is impacting us in Oldham.

I shared that there are 7,500 families currently on Oldham’s social housing register and a further 11,000 applications are still being processed. This is at a time when Government housing policy has slashed social housing numbers nationwide by 80% - about 30,000 homes every year.

There is a range of reasons why families, young people and elderly residents are impacted by the housing crisis, but it is clear for all to see - there simply aren’t enough homes to go round.

Today, for many families, homelessness - and the fear of it - is very real.

Research shows while nearly 500 families are currently in temporary accommodation in Oldham, almost 1 in 5 households are at risk of losing their homes – put in jeopardy by the cost-of-living crisis, rising mortgage costs, job insecurity, or the actions of landlords.

As a local authority, we have a role to play in solving the problem. 

While big changes in the rules and regulations have tied the council’s hands when it comes to directly building and providing housing, there are still ways we can enable, encourage and empower others to work with us to provide adequate housing solutions.

As leader of Oldham Council, this is a responsibility I am keen we take on.

This week, we will be hosting the first Oldham Housing Roundtable – a working event which brings together many of the people, organisations, and community groups with a stake in addressing this crisis.

As the local authority, we will set the targets.

Currently, our Local Plan is being finalised. This document identifies the projected population and demographic challenges ahead. It helps the local authority understand what the housing needs are, not just now but into the future. And it is an important document for planning how to make land or buildings available to provide new housing.

At the Roundtable, I expect to hear how we can meet these housing needs.

I want to hear from developers about their plans to build a range of homes, at a variety of prices, to house Oldhamers. I want to hear from house builders about creating new housing options for the town’s young people and I’m keen to hear how social housing providers can offer new housing solutions for elderly residents who are looking to downsize and free up family homes for the next generation.

And from our economic development partners, we want to hear how housing and homes are part of the exciting new plans for the town centre.

But the Roundtable can’t and won’t be just another talking shop.

While there must be an exchange of opinions and discussions -some of them likely to be awkward and challenging - it is about putting concrete plans in place, unblocking the pipeline on building new homes, and making sure our resident’s current housing needs are being met. 

We need to make sure we not only have more houses, but that the quality and suitability of these homes is right too.

For a house to be a home it must be safe, warm, and dry. There must be adequate space for all the family so kids have proper beds not sleeping on sofas or the floor, and the common areas and shared spaces must be kept clean and well maintained.

We know the private sector has an important part to play too, whether that is major housing builders, corporate owners of apartment buildings or rental houses, or those individuals who bought into ‘buy-to-let’ landlord schemes.

We have a Selective Licensing Scheme in place to ensure private landlords understand the standards they are expected to meet. It also gives us powers to enforce the rules on landlords who don’t live up to those expectations.

There is also a Tenants’ Charter, so residents know what their role is, what to expect from landlords, and how to get help if they need it.

We will share the outcomes of the Roundtable so everyone can see us start to turn needs into deliverables and improve housing options in the borough.

But the current market-based housing system is broken.

We will also keep the pressure on the government to work harder. Ministers must end rough sleeping. Their promised ban on ‘no fault’ evictions must be implemented to give private tenants the security they need. And they must back Councils like Oldham and our partners to enable new homes for first-time buyers, giving hope to local people looking for homes in the communities and neighbourhoods where they live and work.