Unison Labour Link at House of Parliament 17 March 2015-text

> John Gray the secretary of UNISON Housing Association Branch Open the debate with a brief report of Labour Link activity.

> The participants on the event suggested few points to be introduced in future months such supporting the disable, Living London Wage and tackle the cuts on public funding.


> Emma Reynolds Labour MP, Shadow Minister for Housing was the guest speaker of the event, presenting the issues that currently the Labour Party focus on at policy making level if get elected on 7 May :
> -Concerns about housing crisis in UK
> - Delivering a big change in housing sector
> - Tackle the shortage of houses raising over recent years.

> Emma Reynolds reflect also on future step to take:
> - councils to make proactive steps to build on public land that will give returns to the local community
> -local authority to handle the housing market via planing permission tools and banking facilities
> -private renting in London is becoming not affordable, is to be regulated by legislation to help the tenants on 3 years guarantee tenancy
> -rents to be keep in line with inflation
> - letting agency to be regulated in terms of helping people to move housing more easily
> -a national register for lobby to be established
> -London housing to be lead at the capital level with consistency to be able to tackle the current problems
> -social housing to be reviewed to be at sustainable level on terms of national budget allocation
> -right to buy versus right to manage solutions  are under study and research to establish a mechanism to balance the number of houses that are build and houses kept in the market
> -London living wage to be achieved for housing workforce that depend on local authority decision at the moment
> - local authority funding structure to make sure priority is given  to the areas underfunded and under pressure.
> -right to buy funding to generate development in local communities
> -funding for affordable housing to be balanced in the housing market via shifting the priority from benefits to building homes .


> The debate take a q&a turn on the great difficulties that the population is currently facing especially the disable and elderly . Emma R state that the rough sleeping go up 50% in last year, more of the support services  are not active showing that the economy is not recovery and cannot support people at local and national level.
> The message from Emma R is that the current achievement declared by politicians are not felt by the people due to the austerity measures.
> Labor Party is to deliver an economy that work for working people , with the focus on NHS and social care. Running the economy is to change the reality of zero hours contract and the challenge the priorities of the nation.



> Dr. Ionela Flood
Women Equality Officer
UNISON Housing Association Branch