I am deeply worried about affordable housing in Reading. New figures show that Reading Borough Council missed its own target by a huge margin. Last year, only 11 affordable homes were delivered, when the target was 169. That is not a small slip. It is a serious failure.
The council’s own report says we need around 406 affordable homes every year. We are nowhere near that. At the same time, 4,675 families are on the council housing waiting list, and rough sleeping is at the highest level ever seen in Reading. This is not good enough for our town. The Green Party has been warning about this for years.
Green Party wants council homes built again
Right now, affordable housing in Reading depends on whether developers decide to build it. That means profits come first, not people. I believe this is the wrong way round.
The Green Party wants councils properly funded so they can build enough council homes themselves. Unfortunately in Reading the number of council homes has been going down.
Greens call for 50% affordable housing target
Reading used to aim for 50% of new homes to be affordable. That target was cut to 30%, and even that is not being met. The Green Party wants the 50% target brought back and properly enforced.
Rents in Reading are among the highest outside London. Many families now spend more than a third of their income just to keep a roof over their heads. We need homes people can actually afford, here in Reading.
Greens are the second largest party in reading
As the main opposition party on Labour-run Reading Council Green councillors will continue to work constructively to get the best for Reading residents. There are now eight Green Party councillors and we have more councillors than the Conservatives and Lib Dems combined. We will keep working hard all year round on the issues that matter to residents.
By Councillor Rob White (Green Party, Park Ward), Leader of the main opposition group on Reading Borough Council
