Government and Local Government Association ask experts to offer boost for council building

Housing Minister John Healey and the Local Government Association (LGA) today announced they are launching joint work to look at how councils can deliver new homes to tackle the shortage of affordable housing and help drive economic growth.

A new Commission chaired by Lord Richard Best and made up of council chief executives, housing association chief executives and academics, will assess what councils are already achieving and advise on ways councils could play an even greater part helping to build the homes of all types the country needs, as well as extending their strategic housing role to better meet local needs and aspirations.

Since becoming Housing Minister in June last year, John Healey has got underway the biggest council house building programme for two decades. Over 4,000 new council homes are being built in 87 local authority areas.

Government and the LGA want to harness the determination in local councils led by all political parties for building new council homes and sustain increased levels of construction over the years to come.

The Commission will assess how councils are currently meeting the need for affordable homes for rent and for first time buyers, and how this can be expanded - including what can be done to remove any obstacles to this. It will also consider how local authority assets and land can be best used for housing and what extra skills and expertise are needed by council staff.

Housing Minister John Healey said:

"Councils have shown that they are ready and willing to build new homes and Government is backing them to do it. Earlier this year I doubled the amount of Government cash for council building to boost the number of new homes being built to over 4,000.

"The biggest council house building programme for two decades is underway. But I'm determined that this is not a one off and want to find ways to strengthen the hand of local councils further.

"These experts in housing and local government will look at how councils can extend their strategic housing role to better meet local needs and aspirations. I want ideas about what councils can do themselves, and what they can do working with others, such as housebuilders and housing association partners, using the full range of powers at their disposal, and any potential new powers deemed necessary. I look forward to receiving their report in the Summer and am confident it will help strengthen this new era of council housebuilding already underway."

Lord Richard Best said:

"Cross-Party support for greater devolution to the local level means all local authorities are thinking through how best to meet the housing needs of their area. The Commission will bring together the new ideas and successful innovations which local government is now pursuing, with input form CLG and the LGA.

"I am delighted to chair a group that will include some of the foremost practitioners and creative thinkers in the housing sector and I hope the outcome will be a significant contribution to the output of the additional homes which this country so desperately needs."

Notes for editors

The Commission will:

• look at what councils are achieving in delivering new housing of all tenures and how this could develop in the future
• examine the extent to which councils are willing and able to deliver more homes (directly or through others) within current duties and responsibilities, and whether they have the tools to do this
• advise on ways of using local authority assets and land to deliver housebuilding in partnership with the private sector, housing associations and local people themselves
• propose how councils' knowledge and skills for delivering development can be strengthened further
• identify any barriers to delivery and explore incentives for delivery.

Members of the Commission are:

• Lord Richard Best, President of the Local Government Association (Chairman of the Commission);
• Gillian Beasley, Chief Executive, Peterborough City Council;
• Tom Dacey, Group Chief Executive, Southern Housing Group;
• Steve Douglas, former Chief Executive of the Housing Corporation, now Director at douglaswood;
• Jamie Kerr, Director of Regeneration and Education, John Laing Projects and Developments;
• Mike Owen, Special Housing Adviser, Cornwall Council;
• Nick Raynsford MP;
• Joanne Roney OBE, Chief Executive, Wakefield Council;
• Barry Rowland, Chief Executive, Newcastle City Council;
• Tony Travers, Director, LSE London; and
• Steve Wilcox, Centre for Housing Policy, University of York.

The Commission will report to Government and the LGA in the summer.

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