Labour is working to deliver high quality, value for money services. In local government, Labour councils cost you less and deliver more and better services. Nationally, we are giving councils in England an £8.91 billion boost in funding over the next three years – meaning we have provided local government with 13 years of above inflation increases in grant funding.
Up and down the country, Labour councils are working to provide high quality, efficient local services that offer value for money. Labour is the party of devolution. We are moving powers away from Whitehall and Westminster, and out to town halls, and from there to local communities and individuals.
We want strong local councils, truly representing their localities, with visible, accountable leadership. We want devolution to the doorstep, because we believe that democracy is about everyone having a say over the things that affect their lives. This means, for example, control over local budget-setting, transfer of assets to community groups and citizens juries.
We have given local communities the choice of directly elected mayors for their towns. We are reducing the amount of central prescription, national performance indicators and targets so that local authorities and their partners are better able to respond to local needs and demands.
Meanwhile we are providing for greater public involvement in the commissioning, provision and scrutiny of health and social services. Because first-time buyers and young families struggle to buy a home we are taking the long-term decisions to build new homes and put affordable housing within the reach of the many, not the few.
We have made real progress since 1997 in tackling Britain’s housing challenges. There are over a million more home owners; we have delivered major improvements in social housing conditions, and taken action to cut homelessness by two thirds.
Our Decent Homes scheme has helped to deliver £20 billion in investment for major improvements in social housing conditions – lifting over one million children out of cold, damp or poor housing.
HOUSING SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL THOSE WHO NEED IT, AT A PRICE THEY CAN AFFORD, SO:
• In 2008 we will announce the location of up to ten eco-towns, with the potential for up to 100,000 homes
• By 2009, we will have firmly identified unused public sector land for sale to provide for an additional 20,000 homes
• By 2010 we anticipate that around 700,000 additional homes will have been delivered, keeping us on course to reach our goal of 3 million homes by 2020.