I wrote in December about Labour councillors on Reading Borough Council publicly endorsing Lib Dem housing campaigns, when previously they had attacked them.
Well, they're at it again this week, apparently supporting our campaign for an end to the hated "Tenant Tax" whereby a big percentage of council house rents go straight into the Treasury's coffers.
When Cllr Gareth Epps, Group Leader of the Lib Dems on Reading Borough Council called on Labour Councillors to do something about this scandal in December the Leader of the Council refused.
Nationally, the cross-party Local Government Association has campaigned on this issue under the banner "My Rent Money Went to Whitehall".
Speaking at a meeting of the Council's Cabinet this week, Cllr Gareth Epps highlighted the fact that this year alone, under current Labour government policy, £5.5 million pounds from council house rents in Reading will go back to Whitehall - when it should clearly be re-invested in council housing in Reading.
What took Labour councillors so long to come around to our position? after all, the Lib Dems first raised the issue publicly last July, and the issue is not a new one.
The Labour Cabinet took the decision on Monday to increase council house rents by 4.9%. According to Council estimates this will increase rents by on average £4.23 per week and will raise an estimated £1,522,000 in additional revenue.
This follows last year when Labour set the rent increase about 1% below the limit rent. Could this be because last year was a local election year?
As someone has commented in Today's Evening Post, this rent increase is going to hit tenants even harder this year given the current economic climate.
It is a scandal that tenants will be expected to pay more rent but that millions of this cash will not be reinvested in council housing in Reading.
Labour Lead Member for Housing, Cllr John Ennis, has tabled a motion to Council next Tuesday on Council housing (and negative subsidy) which we will study with interest.
Tenants need real action now to stop any more of their money going into the government's coffers, not warm words from Labour Councillors in charge of Reading Borough Council for years, who could have lobbied the government to change this policy on tenants' behalf years ago, but haven't.
On a positive note, I was very pleased to see buried within the report on the Housing Revenue Account Financial Plan 2009/10, ( excuse the technical language but basically the Council's housing spending plans for the next year) which went to Cabinet on Monday, money set aside to help build "decent neighbourhoods", a key priority for the Lib Dems in Reading:
"In response to comments raised by tenants, RFTRA, councillors and others the budget for 2009/10 includes a £370k provision for environment improvements, to enhance the general appearance of housing estates, so that as well as having a decent home, further investment is made in to ensuring tenants live in a “decent neighbourhood.”
I have said in speeches to Council and on this blog countless times that there is no point only investing in"Decent Homes" (Labour jargon for a home with basic amenities, thermal comfort etc.) unless investment and support is provided to local communities to ensure the neighbourhoods they live in are decent too.
What's the point of having a new kitchen if you don't feel safe when you leave your house or flat?
And it's not just about money. This means a new approach to tackling anti-social behaviour which engages the local community, and involving local peoople in improving the look and feel of the environment on our estates. These are and will continue to be key aims of the Lib Dem campaign for real change for Reading.
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