London Assembly To Question Housing Advisors

To explore the detail of the recently published draft Housing Strategy and how the commitments in it will be delivered, the London Assembly will today question the Mayor's key housing advisers.

The Mayor has a statutory obligation to consult the Assembly on his draft Housing Strategy. To inform its response, the Assembly’s Planning and Housing Committee will question Richard Blakeway, the Mayor’s Director of Housing and Alan Benson, Head of Housing and Homelessness.


Questions are likely to cover:

• As the Mayor has removed the 50% target for affordable housing, how will the boroughs be encouraged to deliver more affordable homes – and what measures will be taken by the Mayor if they fail to do so?
• How will the Mayor deliver the 50,000 affordable homes he has promised by 2011 in the current economic climate?
• Is the emphasis on intermediate housing in the draft Housing Strategy the best approach, given that the Committee and the industry experts have called for a focus on social rented housing in the short-term?

The Strategy lacks detail on mobility: has the Mayor abandoned a sub-regional approach to housing people and taken an 'every borough for themselves' approach?

The Committee’s response will build on its 'snapshot briefing' published last week, which details findings from hearings with a range of housing experts.

(CD)