News Release : 12 October 2001

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY CALLS FOR NEW FOUR YEAR TARGET FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE SOUTH EAST

A NEW REGIONAL HOUSING STATEMENT FOR THE SOUTH EAST NEEDS a greater sense of urgency to address the scale of the affordable housing problem in the South East and to set out a clear regional target for the provision of this housing over the next four years, according to the South East England Regional Assembly.

The Assembly's Planning Committee had been invited by the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) to respond to the draft Regional Housing Statement, and considered the issue at its recent meeting on 12 October.

The Statement, which has been issued jointly by GOSE and the Housing Corporation, is an important part of the policy framework for addressing the supply of affordable housing in the South East. Its purpose is to inform investment decisions by the Housing Corporation and assist housing providers in preparing their strategies and delivering services over the next four years, as well as looking to the longer term.

The Regional Assembly highlighted that the Housing Statement needs to:
· Include a regional target for the provision of affordable housing over the next four years;
· Have greater clarity on the link between the issues, priorities and actions surrounding affordable housing, and who will implement them and when;
· Place greater emphasis on regionally specific actions that are appropriate to the South East.

Cllr Nick Skellett, Chair of the Regional Assembly's Regional Planning Committee, said: "I welcome the Government's recognition that this is a severe problem for us in the South East. However, they cannot rely on the planning authorities to provide all the solutions. We can give guidance and some land but effective action will only follow when there are far greater resources from Whitehall."

The Regional Assembly will be submitting its views to GOSE later this month.

Contact

Lesley van Dijk, PR Executive - 01483 555223

Alex Butlin, PR Executive - 01483 555221

Notes to editors:

1. The Regional Assembly is the “voluntary regional chamber” for the South East. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the South East region which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.
   
   
2. The Assembly is made up of 111 members including elected councillors nominated by the region’s local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations).
   
   
3. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
1. It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
   
   
2. The Assembly has a specific role under the Regional Development Agencies' Act 1998 to ensure the accountability of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to the region.
   
   
3. The Assembly has been the Regional Planning Body for the South East since April 2001. It has responsibility for proposing strategic planning and transport policies to Government.

Last updated: 21 August 2007

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