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A housing minister has rejected suggestions that Andy Burnham has failed to his keep promises on council housing, as the Government unveiled a nearly £10 billion plan to boost “genuinely affordable homes”.
The Prime Minister has pledged to carry out the biggest council housebuilding programme since the postwar period, with more than 70,000 homes, 60% allocated for social rent, to be delivered across England.
However, Mr Burnham has faced accusation of watering down his ambitions after he previously called for the entire ÂŁ39 billion social and affordable homes programme to be spent on council housing.
During his campaign to become the MP for Makerfield, he said: “There’s £39 billion allocated over a 10-year period … I’m saying that should be dedicated to council homes.
Asked whether he accepted that Mr Burnham had failed to keep promises made in the lead-up to the by-election, housing minister Matthew Pennycook told BBC Breakfast: “No, I don’t.
“I mean, Andy Burnham said in the by-election that he wanted to see more money spent on social rent on council house building.
“That’s exactly what we’re doing through this initial wave of funding.”
More than £2 billion of the first funding allocations are expected to be spent in mayoral areas outside of London as part of the Government’s broader devolution agenda.
Mayoral strategic authorities are tasked with setting the strategic direction for programmes in their areas, helping to ensure investment reflects local priorities, the Government said.
The allocations are the first stage of the 10-year programme, with more than ÂŁ16 billion remaining to be distributed outside London.
In addition, the Greater London Authority intends to make at least ÂŁ6 billion available through the programme, the Government said, with councils in the capital expected to deliver more than half of the homes planned.
Mr Burnham said: “No child should be raised in a hostel room and no family should wait 10 years for a front door of their own.
“I have said from my first day in this job that everything starts with a good home.
