Radical plans to force the unemployed to seek work or lose their council 
homes were in doubt last night after an angry backlash from charities and 
Left-wing Labour MPs.

The new Housing Minister, Caroline Flint, said tenants should be made to 
sign "commitment contracts" pledging to seek employment.

Council housing should become a "springboard to opportunity, not just a 
safety net", she said.


But campaign groups and Labour MPs accused her of proposing a "return to the 
workhouse" in a move that could see thousands thrown onto the streets.

Miss Flint's Department of Communities and Local Government was forced to 
stress that the minister was merely "starting a debate", adding: "Nothing is 
definite at the moment."

Downing Street sources said Gordon Brown knew she intended to float the idea 
and regarded it as a "good issue to be having a debate" around.

In her first speech since being promoted in the reshuffle forced by Peter 
Hain's resignation last month, Miss Flint said there was clear evidence that 
many long-term unemployed in social housing could find work with the right 
support.

The latest statistics show the number of unemployed council tenants has 
risen by 20 per cent to 55 per cent since 1981.

Miss Flint, who was herself born to a teenage single mother and spent parts 
of her childhood in council housing, said: "Social housing should be based 
around the principle of something for something.

"Social housing will always have a strong role in supporting the most 
vulnerable - the elderly, those with disabilities.

"But there are also many who are currently unemployed who could find work 
with the right training and support."

Miss Flint said the link between social housing and worklessness was 
"stark".

She added: "I am concerned about what has been called a collapse in the 
number of people in council housing in work over the past 25 years.

"Council housing was originally somewhere which brought together people from 
different social backgrounds and professions but this has declined.

"We need to start a national debate about whether we can reverse this trend, 
and have strong, diverse estates with a mix of people."

Tory housing spokesman Grant Shapps said: "This is a classic example of the 
Government trying to grab the headlines with spin that they cannot legally 
enforce.

On 7 Feb, 23:40, "Niteawk"  wrote:
> Radical plans to force the unemployed to seek work or lose their council
> homes were in doubt last night after an angry backlash from charities and
> Left-wing Labour MPs.
>
> The new Housing Minister, Caroline Flint, said tenants should be made to
> sign "commitment contracts" pledging to seek employment.
>
> Council housing should become a "springboard to opportunity, not just a
> safety net", she said.
>
> But campaign groups and Labour MPs accused her of proposing a "return to the
> workhouse" in a move that could see thousands thrown onto the streets.
>
> Miss Flint's Department of Communities and Local Government was forced to
> stress that the minister was merely "starting a debate", adding: "Nothing is
> definite at the moment."
>
> Downing Street sources said Gordon Brown knew she intended to float the idea
> and regarded it as a "good issue to be having a debate" around.
>
> In her first speech since being promoted in the reshuffle forced by Peter
> Hain's resignation last month, Miss Flint said there was clear evidence that
> many long-term unemployed in social housing could find work with the right
> support.
>
> The latest statistics show the number of unemployed council tenants has
> risen by 20 per cent to 55 per cent since 1981.
>
> Miss Flint, who was herself born to a teenage single mother and spent parts
> of her childhood in council housing, said: "Social housing should be based
> around the principle of something for something.
>
> "Social housing will always have a strong role in supporting the most
> vulnerable - the elderly, those with disabilities.
>
> "But there are also many who are currently unemployed who could find work
> with the right training and support."
>
> Miss Flint said the link between social housing and worklessness was
> "stark".
>
> She added: "I am concerned about what has been called a collapse in the
> number of people in council housing in work over the past 25 years.
>
> "Council housing was originally somewhere which brought together people from
> different social backgrounds and professions but this has declined.
>
> "We need to start a national debate about whether we can reverse this trend,
> and have strong, diverse estates with a mix of people."
>
> Tory housing spokesman Grant Shapps said: "This is a classic example of the
> Government trying to grab the headlines with spin that they cannot legally
> enforce.

The homeless charities are pretty much against her idea from what I
can see.
The proposals look like getting someone out of the tenancy if they
don't do exactly as the government want.

I hope its only spin, its certainly not gained her many friends.

Martin  <><

mart2306@hotmail.com wrote:
> On 7 Feb, 23:40, "Niteawk"  wrote:
>> Radical plans to force the unemployed to seek work or lose their council
>> homes were in doubt last night after an angry backlash from charities and
>> Left-wing Labour MPs.
>>
>> The new Housing Minister, Caroline Flint, said tenants should be made to
>> sign "commitment contracts" pledging to seek employment.
>>
>> Council housing should become a "springboard to opportunity, not just a
>> safety net", she said.
>>
>> But campaign groups and Labour MPs accused her of proposing a "return to the
>> workhouse" in a move that could see thousands thrown onto the streets.
>>
>> Miss Flint's Department of Communities and Local Government was forced to
>> stress that the minister was merely "starting a debate", adding: "Nothing is
>> definite at the moment."
>>
>> Downing Street sources said Gordon Brown knew she intended to float the idea
>> and regarded it as a "good issue to be having a debate" around.
>>
>> In her first speech since being promoted in the reshuffle forced by Peter
>> Hain's resignation last month, Miss Flint said there was clear evidence that
>> many long-term unemployed in social housing could find work with the right
>> support.
>>
>> The latest statistics show the number of unemployed council tenants has
>> risen by 20 per cent to 55 per cent since 1981.
>>
>> Miss Flint, who was herself born to a teenage single mother and spent parts
>> of her childhood in council housing, said: "Social housing should be based
>> around the principle of something for something.
>>
>> "Social housing will always have a strong role in supporting the most
>> vulnerable - the elderly, those with disabilities.
>>
>> "But there are also many who are currently unemployed who could find work
>> with the right training and support."
>>
>> Miss Flint said the link between social housing and worklessness was
>> "stark".
>>
>> She added: "I am concerned about what has been called a collapse in the
>> number of people in council housing in work over the past 25 years.
>>
>> "Council housing was originally somewhere which brought together people from
>> different social backgrounds and professions but this has declined.
>>
>> "We need to start a national debate about whether we can reverse this trend,
>> and have strong, diverse estates with a mix of people."
>>
>> Tory housing spokesman Grant Shapps said: "This is a classic example of the
>> Government trying to grab the headlines with spin that they cannot legally
>> enforce.
> 
> The homeless charities are pretty much against her idea from what I
> can see.
> The proposals look like getting someone out of the tenancy if they
> don't do exactly as the government want.
> 
> I hope its only spin, its certainly not gained her many friends.
> 
> Martin  <><

It's shown her to be totally unsuitable for her job. At the very least 
she should engage her brain before speaking next time.

-- 
Robbie

Are there any decent council housing left anymore, after all the "working
class Tories" bought them all at knockdown prices, though?

T-L

On 8 Feb, 15:10, "Tamale_Loco"  wrote:
> Are there any decent council housing left anymore, after all the "working
> class Tories" bought them all at knockdown prices, though?
>
> T-L

None round here. The council sold its entire stock to private social
landlords, £1,900 each, about 4 years ago.
Though to be fair to those companies, they have spent a fortune
improving the housing - something the council always missed doing to
its own stock.
And put previously boarded up properties back into use.

Martin  <><

mart2306@hotmail.com wrote:
> On 8 Feb, 15:10, "Tamale_Loco"  wrote:
>> Are there any decent council housing left anymore, after all the "working
>> class Tories" bought them all at knockdown prices, though?
>>
>> T-L
> 
> None round here. The council sold its entire stock to private social
> landlords, £1,900 each, about 4 years ago.
> Though to be fair to those companies, they have spent a fortune
> improving the housing - something the council always missed doing to
> its own stock.
> And put previously boarded up properties back into use.
> 
> Martin  <><

Councils were hampered because they couldn't raise money to spend on 
renovating housing stock - if you remember they weren't allowed to spend 
money raised from council house sales. Most councils had little choice 
(and in fact were encouraged) to sell the stock and many councils sold 
the stock to what amounted their old housing departments who set 
themselves up as Housing Associations. As private HA's they were then 
able to raise finance to invest in the housing stock.

Some councils adopted the middle way, selling off most of the stock to 
the HA and selling the very hard to let properties to private investors 
while a few created "arms length" companies which manage the properties 
but who are still answerable to the council.

-- 
Robbie

Niteawk wrote:
> Radical plans to force the unemployed to seek work or lose their council 
> homes were in doubt last night after an angry backlash from charities 
> and Left-wing Labour MPs.
> 
> The new Housing Minister, Caroline Flint, said tenants should be made to 
> sign "commitment contracts" pledging to seek employment.
> 
> Council housing should become a "springboard to opportunity, not just a 
> safety net", she said.
> 
> 
> But campaign groups and Labour MPs accused her of proposing a "return to 
> the workhouse" in a move that could see thousands thrown onto the streets.
> 
> Miss Flint's Department of Communities and Local Government was forced 
> to stress that the minister was merely "starting a debate", adding: 
> "Nothing is definite at the moment."
> 
> Downing Street sources said Gordon Brown knew she intended to float the 
> idea and regarded it as a "good issue to be having a debate" around.
> 
> In her first speech since being promoted in the reshuffle forced by 
> Peter Hain's resignation last month, Miss Flint said there was clear 
> evidence that many long-term unemployed in social housing could find 
> work with the right support.
> 
> The latest statistics show the number of unemployed council tenants has 
> risen by 20 per cent to 55 per cent since 1981.
> 
> Miss Flint, who was herself born to a teenage single mother and spent 
> parts of her childhood in council housing, said: "Social housing should 
> be based around the principle of something for something.
> 
> "Social housing will always have a strong role in supporting the most 
> vulnerable - the elderly, those with disabilities.
> 
> "But there are also many who are currently unemployed who could find 
> work with the right training and support."
> 
> Miss Flint said the link between social housing and worklessness was 
> "stark".
> 
> She added: "I am concerned about what has been called a collapse in the 
> number of people in council housing in work over the past 25 years.
> 
> "Council housing was originally somewhere which brought together people 
> from different social backgrounds and professions but this has declined.
> 
> "We need to start a national debate about whether we can reverse this 
> trend, and have strong, diverse estates with a mix of people."
> 
> Tory housing spokesman Grant Shapps said: "This is a classic example of 
> the Government trying to grab the headlines with spin that they cannot 
> legally enforce.
> 
Indeed this is a silly statement. This already exists in one sense, in 
that a claimant who does not satisfy the regs for Incapacity benefit or 
IS will  be on JSA, for which they must be actively seeking work. If 
their JSA stops, they have nothing to eat. This also ends their passport 
to HB which if not paid would in theory eventually lead to eviction 
unless the claimant got a job.

However, the teeth of this arrangement have been lost as those 
sanctioned for JSA often get hardship payments, and the HB no longer 
stops when JSA stops. It is possible, though unusual, for HB to be in 
payment with no other source of income. The whole thing would need quite 
a revamp to make Ms Flints proposals be anything more worthy than the 
mutterings of a taxi-driver.