This press release was issued on 06/01/19

Stop privatisation; improve existing and build a new generation of first class council housing
Press Statement for release on 06 Jan 2019
Social Housing Commission launch - the future for council housing
We welcome Shelter's Social Housing Commission. DCH was involved in the consultation and will take part in this week's launch.

We believe the following points are crucial to protecting and extending the right to homes for all, that are safe and secure:

1. We support Grenfell United's call for independent tenant associations (TAs) as the best way to protect the lives and interests of tenants in council and other social housing. Recognised and independently funded tenant organisation is key to ensure tenants were listened to.
Many TAs have been closed down and sidelined, alongside decades of under-investment, privatisation and deregulation in the sector.
Rebuilding TAs must go hand in hand with rebuilding council housing so that tenants are never again ignored, as they were at Grenfell.

2. We endorse the demand for tighter regulation of landlords, but we argue this must apply to ALL landlords, including councils, TMOs, co-ops, housing associations and private landlords. Tenants must be central to inspections, reporting and monitoring. However we are wary of unaccountable bureaucratic oversight, which can also act as pathways to privatisation, as they have in health and education.

3. The term 4. This year is the 100th anniversary of the Addison Act, a landmark in council housing history which required local authorities to provide adequate housing and provided them the money and power to do so. The Grenfell atrocity should have been a turning-point for UK housing policy, but many of the underlying causes remain. The most fitting way of winning Justice for Grenfell is a commitment to safe, secure homes for all, through Government investment in more and better council housing.

Further information from www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk
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Labour Conference meeting

Housing Act Summit 22 October

Oppose NoHousing Bill

Right to Buy2: Stop sell-offs

Southwark march 25 March

Council Housing: Time To Invest

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