Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner, opened the debate by acknowledging the difficult situation she has inherited, particularly the significant cuts to local authority funding under the previous Conservative administration. She emphasized her determination to work constructively with Birmingham City Council and the commissioners to ensure that local public services are fit for purpose. In response, the shadow Secretary of State, Kemi Badenoch, questioned the Secretary of State's assessment of the Khan review into social cohesion, suggesting that she had not read the report. Badenoch raised concerns about the 2021 incident at Batley Grammar School, where a teacher was failed by local police and the local council, and asked about the Government's plans to ensure that such incidents do not happen again. The debate then covered a wide range of topics, including the Government's plans to regenerate high streets, tackle Islamophobia, promote community cohesion, improve standards of construction in new build homes, reform the leasehold system, increase the supply of social housing, and address the adequacy of council funding. The Ministers outlined the Government's commitments, such as funding new partnership models with high street accelerators, implementing high street rental auctions, and introducing a strong new right to buy for community assets. They also discussed the Government's plans to tackle Islamophobia, including providing greater security and rapid support for Muslim communities, and actively considering further steps to crack down on anti-Muslim hatred. On the issue of community cohesion, the Secretary of State acknowledged the deep-rooted weaknesses in society that were exposed by the recent violence, and committed to supporting the recovery of affected towns and cities, as well as investing in community cohesion. The Ministers also emphasized the importance of infrastructure being built around the Government's 1.5 million homes target and the need to protect existing council stock by reviewing the increased right to buy discounts. Regarding council funding, the Ministers recognized the challenges facing local authorities and pledged to provide more stability through multi-year funding settlements, end the competitive bidding process, and reform the broken audit system. They also acknowledged the need to consider the true cost of public service delivery in different parts of the country, particularly in rural areas. Throughout the debate, the Government representatives emphasized their commitment to working in partnership with local authorities, communities, and stakeholders to address the various challenges facing the housing, communities, and local government sectors.