Housing affordability ranked as most urgent issue affecting councils
Its housing stupid……. – to misquote Bill Clinton. This article tells us:
The cost of housing in the UK and its impact on local people is now the main concern for local government, ranking higher than long-held concerns about health and social care services in a survey of council chief executives.
The survey found affordability of housing was the area that most needed improvements according to 61% of local government chief executives, with adult social care (43%) and health care services (39%) coming second and third. Wage levels and cost of living (38%) and job prospects (36%) closely follow.
At the opposite end of the list, parking (3%), community relations and antisocial behaviour (both 4%) were deemed the lowest priority.
The priorities discovered in the survey differ significantly from those of the general public. When pollsters Ipsos MORI put the same questions to the public, affordability of housing came fifth behind roads and pavements, activities for teenagers, cleanliness of streets and job prospects.