Housing...

I am in a bit of a quandary here, I can see the reasoning for asking older folks who have had their kids grow up and leave the nest, to move to smaller properties. I can see that social housing is needed for families and that there isn't enough to go around.

One could and indeed should say that this was the fault of successive governments, both Tory and labour, who have refused to let the councils use monies raised by the "Right to buy" scheme, to build newer council housing stocks.
Looking back it was obviously a mistake, on every ones part. Not only would it have eased the supply and demand, but it would have at the time given the building trade a boost it needed in a harsh climate. Which would have also given our tradesmen an ability to take on and train future plumbers, plasterers, carpenters and brickies.
So all in all a missed opportunity. Which has seen an increase in building tradesmen coming to the country from the EU, as we have not enough of our own tradesmen to meet our needs or demand.

Allowing councils to build newer housing to replace stock sold, would have meant newer houses that met or came a damn site closer to the much vaunted "energy efficiency" requirements foisted upon us by the EU.

I admit I took advantage of buying my council house, and over the next 10 years spent money on double glazing, cavity wall insulation, gas central heating, all to done to improve my families living conditions and comfort. So my little two bed roomed house that I bought for 21,950 in 1992 is now worth about 90,000. Unless I sell I haven't really made any money at all, although on paper I have. Please bear in mind that Blackpool house prices have risen however, ex council houses have not risen as much as other homes.

So we have now a government minister telling the country, that people over accommodated in social housing stock will be moved to make the way for families who's need is greater. Notwithstanding that these people have made their homes, made friends and helped to make their communities. They will have their families, friends and relatives close by, some of the families that I know still have adult children at home at 23 and 24 years of age, simply because they cannot either afford buy their own home, nor afford the rent and other costs of running a home on the minimum wage.

You see what nark's me is that Yvette Cooper the Housing minister, (who has been slated for some dodgy dealings with regards to her 2nd home that we the tax payers are paying for) has no idea of local communities, of their make up, or even how they work. She doesn't understand that over the years the people get to know each other, taking the kids to school, meeting in the Post office, the doctors, the local pubs and clubs. This is mainly because she has not lived and worked in a local community, when she goes home of an evening the door is closed to the rest of the world.
Other than her association with other politicians who also do not live in the real world, she has no idea how the other seventy five percent of the population live, she cannot get her head round the fact she is dealing with other human beings, who resent paying her and her husband their politicians salary and expenses, and guaranteed gold plated pensions.

They resent someone who has not lived in their community telling the community that she is going to strip and rip a large proportion of its heart out. Lets face it this will only affect the working class and lower paid members of our society, you know the ones that Labour are supposed to be for!

A proportion that has paid it's taxes, paid for the NHS, EU et al, and yet are to be moved to "the country" or to "smaller accommodation" to suit a political whim. To houses, god knows where, in who knows what state, to start again without friends and family. Talk about a potential death sentence hanging over people!

In Liverpool communities have been decimated by the housing regeneration forced upon it by the then deputy PM Prescotts department, who have wasted countless millions buying up properties, that only needed renovating to make them into decent homes. They then pulled them down to make affordable housing that no one locally can afford, now how fucking clever is that?

So whilst I can see that the housing is needed for families, I can also see the reason for these people refusing to leave their homes and communities that they helped to build.

Answers? I just don't know, but I do think as ever with Labour it will all cost millions and end in fucking tears!