The New Homes Bonus is a multi-billion pound programme that rewards communities when they accept more housebuilding in their area. The Bonus includes an extra reward for building new affordable homes, and for getting long-term empty homes back into use.

Building on the flagship Housing Strategy, the Government has today this week unveiled a range of measures to help first time buyers onto the housing ladder, provide support for millions who have been left languishing on social housing waiting lists and get construction on the move.

Mr M^cCartney said, “Labour led Britain into a housing crisis – the number of affordable homes fell, waiting lists almost doubled and first-time buyer numbers collapsed to their lowest level for a generation.

“Housebuilding is already up a quarter under the Coalition Government, but there is more to do.

“I am delighted to welcome this funding for new homes in our City. The Government’s actions will help local people onto the housing ladder, provide more affordable housing and create local jobs”.

For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk

-Notes 

NEW HOMES BONUS 

·         The New Homes Bonus is a multi-billion pound programme that rewards communities when they accept more housebuilding in their area. The Bonus includes an extra reward for building new affordable homes, and for getting long-term empty homes back into use (DCLG Press Release, 3 November 2010).

 ·         On 1 February 2012, the Government announced the grant allocation (detail in the attached pdf) for each council around the country  (DCLG Press Release, 1 February 2012). 

HOUSING MINISTER’S UPDATE FOLLOWING HOUSING STRATEGY LAUNCH 

On 1 February 2012, Housing Minister Grant Shapps highlighted how the Government’s action to get Britain building again will play a vital and central role in getting the country’s economy on the road to recovery. Among the range of measures to get the homes the country needs built, the Minister announced:

·         That he has already identified enough Government land to build 80,000 homes, and is now working with organisations including the BBC and Royal Mail to find even more unused sites for housebuilding – meaning Ministers are on course to release enough land for 100,000 homes by 2015;

·         Details of the NewBuy Guarantee scheme to help those aspiring to buy newly-built properties to do so with just a fraction of the deposit that’s normally required; and

·         That he is devolving power from Whitehall to Town Halls, ending a long-standing ‘tax on tenants’ in a £19 billion deal enabling councils to keep the rents they collect and invest the money in their homes (DCLG Press Release, 1 February 2012). 

HOUSING STRATEGY LAUNCH

·         On 21 November 2011, Housing Minister Grant Shapps published Laying the Foundations: A Housing Strategy for England. This Strategy sets out the Government’s plans to support social mobility and get the housing market – and in particular new housebuilding – moving again (Hansard, 21 November 2011, Col.5WS).

·         At the Housing Strategy launch the Prime Minister said: ‘When first-time buyers on a good salary cannot get a reasonable mortgage, the whole market grinds to a halt…affecting builders, retailers, plumbers – all the people that depend on a housing market that is moving. If we don’t do something like this we are not going to get this vital market moving…We will restart the housing market and get Britain building again’ (BBC News, 21 November 2011). 

HOUSING STRATEGY – OTHER KEY MEASURES

·         Supporting builders with ‘buy now, pay later’ deals. The Build Now, Pay Later deals on the table will help to support builders who are struggling to get finance upfront. We are freeing up formerly used public sector land with capacity to deliver up to 100,000 new homes.

·         Boost for larger-scale new development. We will be providing more support for local areas that want to deliver larger-scale new development to meet the needs of their growing communities.

·         Incentivising housing growth. We are putting in place strong, new incentives for housing growth through the New Homes Bonus, Community Infrastructure Levy and the proposals for local business rates retention.

·         Encouraging a ‘self build revolution’. We are encouraging a self-build revolution which will be facilitated through a Custom Build Homes programme to support and encourage more individuals and communities to build their own homes. This includes making available up to £30 million of new funding to support provision of short-term project finance on a repayable basis. 

·         Making better use of existing stock, bringing more empty homes and buildings back into use. The Housing Strategy sets out our Strategy for tackling empty homes, including £100 million funding to bring empty homes back into use as affordable housing and changes to council tax to help tackle empty homes and bring them back into productive use, and an additional £50 million of funding to tackle some of the worst concentrations of empty homes (DCLG Press Release, 21 November 2011).

LABOUR’S HOUSING FAILURE

·         Lowest number of first-time buyers since 1970s. The number of first-time buyers across the UK fell from 501,500 in 1997 to 185,000 in 2009 (Hansard, 11 November 2009, col. 526WA; Halifax Press Release, 3 January 2010). This was its lowest rate since such records began in 1974 (Council of Mortgage Lenders Press Release, Survey of Mortgage Lenders, March 2003, Table 2).

·         Housebuilding plummeted under Labour. Housebuilding in England under Labour fell to its lowest levels since 1946, with just 113,670 completions in 2009-10 (DCLG, House Building: December Quarter 2010, February 2011; DCLG, Live Tables: Table 244, House building, November 2010). This became the lowest peacetime rate of housebuilding across England and Wales since 1923-24 (just 86,000 homes were built in England and Wales, and 137,000 were built in 1924-25) (Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research, Historical Statistics of Housing in Britain, 2005, p.45).

·         Waiting lists almost doubled cent under Labour. Local authority housing waiting lists rose from 1.0 million in April 1997 to 1.8 million in April 2010 (DCLG, Live Table 600, November 2010).

·         Fewer affordable homes under Labour. There was a net reduction of 200,000 affordable homes under Labour, with the total number of dwellings falling from 1997 to 2010 (Lords Hansard, 10 November 2010, Col. 84WA).

·         Labour slashed Right to Buy. Labour made a succession of cuts to Right to Buy, cutting the level of the discounts and eligibility criteria for council housing tenants. Discounts also failed to be increased to reflect rising property prices. The average Right to Buy discount, as a percentage of the market value of the property, fell from 50 per cent in 1998-99 to 24 per cent in 2008-09. In London, the figure fell from 53 per cent to 10 per cent (Hansard, 25 March 2010, Col. 560WA).

·         Labour’s broken promises on home ownership. Labour promised in their 2005 manifesto that: ‘By the end of our third term we aim for it [home ownership] to have risen by another million to two million’ (Labour Party, Britain forward not back, 2005, p.78). Yet total home ownership across England fell from 14,791,000 owner occupiers in 2005 to 14,525,000 in 2009-10 (DCLG, English Housing Survey Headline Report 2009-10, February 2010).

The event promoted Supporters Direct’s ‘Key principles for Football Club Licensing in England’, which aim to ensure greater financial and social responsibility in the game.  Supporter’s Direct proposes a licensing system to be established in response to the recommendations in the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee Report on Football Governance.  The licensing framework should be aimed at securing: the sustainable development of English football and its clubs; and supporter and community engagement in the running of football clubs.

Karl said, “I gladly attended Supporters Direct’s reception in Parliament earlier today and join them in arguing that the licensing system should protect football as a whole from the instability and lack of sustainability it has experienced and continues to experience.   The licensing system should embed the involvement of responsible, democratically elected supporters in the governance of clubs.  I am very aware of the very active role my constituents as supporters of ‘The Imps’ – Lincoln City FC – have played in our Club’s history, in both very turbulent financial times and still continue to do so today.”

For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk or go to http://www.supporters-direct.org/ .

The website now includes incidents of crime and antisocial behaviour recorded at all train stations and railway networks. Soon incidents occurring at or near significant local sites like shopping areas, nightclubs, parks, airports, universities, car parks and hospitals will be added too.

In addition, the website now has more specific detail on the precise location of incidents – while still protecting anonymity.

>From May this year police.uk will show the action taken by the police or the justice outcome after a crime.

Commenting, Karl M^cCartney, Member of Parliament for Lincoln, said, “Police.uk gives everyone in our City information on just what crime and anti-social behaviour is happening right on their street.  In the year since its launch the website has received an astonishing 453 million hits and this upgrade will make even more detail available.  I’m pleased the Home Office is listening to the public’s demand for even more information on crime in their neighbourhood ahead of the election this November of our Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire.

For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk

Notes 

• The police.uk website was launched in January 2011 and since then developments have provided even more detailed information on a range of new crime categories. Local police force performance data is also available.

• Commenting on the developments on 30 January 2012 the British Transport Police Chief Constable Andy Trotter said: ‘This is a positive step forward. It is important people have access to crime data, and I am pleased that details of crime and antisocial behaviour on the rail network will now be included on the crime mapping website’. 

• And the Association of Chief Police Officers’ lead on crime information, Deputy Chief Constable Neil Rhodes, said on 30 January 2012: ‘Providing crime mapping information to members of the public assists awareness of how the police service is working to reduce crime and disorder in communities. It also helps reduce the fear of crime and, in areas where crime is occurring, provides encouragement to the public to support the police with information, and remain watchful when appropriate.’

• Until 30 January 2012 crimes were mapped on police.uk to an anonymous point on a street with 12 or more postal addresses. To improve the public’s access to more detailed and accurate information this threshold has been lowered to eight or more postal addresses. Information will also be provided information about incidents recorded at all railway stations.

From 30 January 2012 a process has begun to map crimes on or near: airports/airfields, bus/coach stations, ferry terminals, motorway service stations, petrol stations, nightclubs, police stations, sports/recreation areas, race tracks, theme/adventure parks, parking areas, pedestrian subways, further/higher education buildings, shopping areas, supermarkets, theatre/concert halls, conference/exhibition centres, hospitals, prisons, and parks/open spaces.

• The Home Office, National Policing Improvement Agency and the Ministry of Justice are also working to use police.uk to show what happens after a crime has occurred in terms of a police action or a justice outcome.

“I am supporting the launch of Chance to be Chancellor 2012 and am calling on schools and young people in Lincoln to take up in the challenge to learn about, and share their opinions on, Budget 2012.  Run by the Citizenship Foundation, in partnership with Aviva, Chance to be Chancellor is open to all 14-18 year olds across the UK.  Running until the 20 February, participants can enter into a national competition to win great prizes and visit HM Treasury in London.  To find out more and become involved, please visit:  www.chancetobechancellor.org.uk”.

On Sunday the 29^th of January, Karl M^cCartney, Member of Parliament for Lincoln, attended the Great Australian Breakfast at The Lawn on Union Road in the City of Lincoln.  The annual event which celebrates the city’s twinning relationship with Port Lincoln in Australia is held every year on the Sunday closest to Australia Day (26^th of January).

The City of Lincoln Band opened the day in style at 8:30am with their rendition of the Australian National Anthem, followed by the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Concert Band from 10am till 11am, and at 11am the ever-popular folk group Ploughman’s Bunch took to the stage.  BBC Lincolnshire’s Melvin Prior compared the event, and other BBC Lincolnshire personalities were on hand to plate up the full English breakfast and meet the public.

Karl M^cCartney said: “The Great Australian Breakfast – which celebrated Australia Day and the City of Lincoln’s twinning relationship with Port Lincoln – was a great success.  I hugely enjoyed meeting with my constituents and helping to raise money for the Mayor’s Charities.”

The Warm Front scheme – which offers heating and insulation improvements to households living on low incomes – is expected to see up to £30 million worth of funding for this year going unclaimed. This money could help up to 16,000 households struggling to afford their energy bills to cut their costs by a potential £650 per year.

People on certain income-related benefits and living in homes that are poorly insulated, or do not have a working central heating system, are eligible for Warm Front grants.

Applications to the scheme are down by 70%. So Karl M^cCartney, MP for the City of Lincoln, together with Consumer Focus urges people to put in a claim now before the funding for this year ends on 31 March. 

Karl M^cCartney MP said, “Insulating your loft and walls is a good way to tackle high energy bills and I urge people to see if they qualify and apply for Warm Front’s free of charge home improvements, before the funding is withdrawn.”

“If you think you are eligible, apply to the scheme by calling 0800 316 6004, or online at www.direct.gov.uk/warmfront.” 

Audrey Gallacher, Director of Energy at Consumer Focus, said, “The poorest pensioners and families will have been hit particularly hard by high energy prices. Many are living in cold homes, which could put their health at risk. It is very disappointing that people who need Warm Front help to make their homes warmer and cheaper to heat are likely to miss out. We’d urge anyone who thinks they may be eligible to put in a claim. This help is free and can make a big difference in affording your energy bills and keeping warm and well.”

Factfile:

• There are now likely to be almost 7 million households living in fuel poverty in the UK (Estimates on behalf of Consumer Focus using Centre for Sustainable Energy research). This is up from 5.5 million in 2009 (the latest official Government figures)

• The average energy bill is now £1,289, which will fall to £1,258 after all the recent price cuts announced come into effect

• Full details of who can claim help under the Warm Front scheme and how to apply are available on Directgov – www.direct.gov.uk/warmfront People can apply for the scheme online, by post, or by phone on 0800 316 6004 (or textphone 0800 072 0156),Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 6.00 pm and Saturday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Warm Front is the only UK Government funded scheme to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency. The Warm Front Grant applies in England only.

Breakdown of regional Warm Front applications:

Lincoln’s Member of Parliament, Karl M^cCartney, today took part in the Bupa ‘Get Moving’ challenge to raise awareness of the benefits of taking regular exercise and by doing so is in with a chance of winning £500 of sports equipment for a local school or sports club.

Organised by Bupa in partnership with MEND, the Youth Sport Trust and Diabetes UK, Mr M^cCartney joined other Members of Parliament on the walk, which took in some of London’s most famous landmarks.

Commenting on the walk, Mr M^cCartney said: “It was enjoyable to meet the attendees and representatives from BUPA, and spend some time with them and my colleagues on this morning’s walk – and of course there is a chance to win some sports equipment for local schools. I’m looking forward to the walks scheduled for coming weeks too as I aim to be fitter for this year’s Lincoln 10K.”

Martin George, Managing Director, Group Development, Bupa, said: “It’s great that Members of Parliament are taking part in the Bupa ‘Get Moving’ challenge to be in with a chance of winning sports equipment for a local school or sports club. Bupa and our partners [MEND, Youth Sport Trust and Diabetes UK] are committed to helping people to get moving and live healthier lifestyles and walking is an excellent way of achieving this.”

The winner will be announced on 7 February at the final walk. There are three walks taking place in total – on 24 January, 31 January and 7 February.

For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk, or James Thompson at the Bupa Press Office on 020 7656 2056.

The deal follows the Government’s other measures to protect Post Office services including additional funding, new local and national contracts, a successful piloting scheme to transform many local post offices and improvements in the services offered.

Commenting, Mr M^cCartney said, “In opposition Conservatives campaigned tirelessly to overturn Labour’s cuts to our Post Offices, which saw them close over 6,500 in a decade. The Government’s announcement means the future of the Post Office is secured guaranteeing this valuable service for millions of people.”

For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk

Notes

·         More than 6,500 post offices closed in a decade under Labour. Between March 2000 and March 2010, a total of 6,573 post offices were closed. This included 3,777 urban post offices and 2,796 rural post offices (House of Commons Library, 5 December 2011, link).

·         Securing the future of the Post Office with £1.34 billion in additional Government funding. Ed Davey, Postal Affairs Minister, confirmed that ‘this government have been clear that there will be no programme of post office closures, and is providing £1.34 billion of funding over the spending review period to 2015 to modernise the Post Office network and to secure its future. As part of that funding, Post Office Ltd must maintain the network at around its current size with at least 11,500 branches’ (Hansard, 28 November 2011).

For more information on the Government’s announcement please go to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills Press Release – link.

A single non-emergency 101 number has been rolled out to police forces across England and Wales to help the public to access the police when they need them.

101 will give the public a memorable number for their local police to report crimes and concerns that do not require an emergency response. It will also help the police to deal more efficiently with calls for help from the public.

At 15p per call from both mobile phones and landlines, no matter how long the call or what time of day, the public will be spared the cost of traditional 0845 numbers previously used by many forces which can cost up to 40p per minute.  With only 25 per cent of 999 calls to the police requiring an emergency response, ministers and chief constables are confident that the 101 number will also ease pressure on 999 services.

Police forces in England and Wales have gradually gone live with 101 on a phased basis. The last of the 43 forces have now adopted the number and it is already proving popular with more than two and a half million calls.

Nick Herbert, Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice, said, “The introduction of the 101 number marks one of the most significant changes in the way people contact the police since 999 was introduced nearly 70 years ago.  The public now have an easier way to contact their local police force with a memorable number for non-emergencies.  Previous plans for a national non-emergency number never materialised, but this Government has delivered a practical scheme.  Together with street level crime mapping and the election of Police and Crime Commissioners, 101 marks another step forward in our ambition to strengthen the connection between the police and public, and cut crime.”

Commander Ian Dyson, ACPO lead on contact management, said, “Having just two phone numbers – 101 for reporting a crime that has happened, to get advice or to raise local policing issues – or 999 if it’s an emergency, makes calling the police a lot easier and makes our services more accessible.  It’s also expected to reduce the number of inappropriate 999 calls the service receives, enabling us to respond to genuine emergencies more effectively.  999 should only be used in an emergency, that is when a crime is happening, when someone suspected of a crime is nearby, or where someone is injured, being threatened or in danger. For all other matters the public should call us on 101.”

Lincoln City MP, Karl M^cCartney, said, ”I very much welcome the new 101 non-emergency police number, which will help improve access to the Police for my City of Lincoln constituents.  Non-emergency crimes often go unreported because people are reluctant to call the traditional 999 emergency number.  However, crime is crime and so I hope that ‘101’ will finally address this problem.”

Looking to the future, the government is aware of the potential of 101 for transforming local services. Subject to local agreement, the 101 number could enable the police to join up with partners to provide communities with easier access to a wider range of local services.

For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk

- NOTES - 

1. Prior to the introduction of 101, nearly half of all police forces used 0845 numbers which can cost the public more than 40p per minute. Calls to 101 cost 15p for the entire call, no matter how long the call or what time of day it is.  This applies to both landlines and mobile phones.  For the first time ever, everyone calling the police for non-emergency matters will know exactly how much it will cost them and will be assured of equal access whether they are on a pay-as-you-go mobile or a home landline.
2. In 2010, the British Crime Survey found that only 54 per cent of the public know how to contact their local police if they want to talk to them about policing, crime or anti-social behaviour. Giving people an easy and memorable number to call to contact their local police force could improve reporting of crime and disorder, ease the pressure on 999, and help to efficiently and effectively tackle crime and disorder.
3. The public should continue to call 999 in an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, when someone suspected of a crime is nearby, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened.
4. There are a number of examples of situations where the 101 number has proved invaluable to both public and police.
5. For interview opportunities with the Policing and Criminal Justice Minister call the Home Office press office on 0207 035 3535.