Live webchat with Grant Shapps, local government and housing minister, Tues 7 Dec, 2.30pm - 3.30pm

[GeraldineMumsnet]

We're very pleased that our webchat guest on Tues 7 Dec is local government and housing minister Grant Shapps. He has recently been in the news over homeowners' rights and the government's social housing policy.

On Mon 6 Dec, he's setting out how the government intends to put more power into the hands of local councillors. Part of this is that the govt wants to encourage women, particularly mothers of school-age children, to consider becoming councillors. Grant would like to know what you think about becoming a local councillor? Are there any obstacles to you doing so? If you're already a councillor, what are your experiences, and what do you think are the opportunities for women in local government?

Grant is the MP for Welwyn Hatfield, he's married with three children - a boy aged nine and six-year-old twins.

Hope you can join him on Tues, 1.30pm-2.30pm. But if you can't and you have a question or comment, please post it here.

[madamimadam]

Well, Grant. I work. And I'm over the higher tax threashold. And I have no problem at all with funding a benefit that keeps families in their communities and gives children some security and permanence in their lives.

Do you have a problem with that?

[NotAnotherNewNappy]

Thanks Grant - I did a quick 'ctl f' for 'stake' in the in the document you pointed to and found one instance of it, in the word 'mistaken' .

But seriously, I know you think you can placate a lot of people by promising them that the new proposals won't affect existing social tenants - but what you probably fail to understand is that some people have a social conscience and do not want the ladder to long term affordable housing pulled up behind them.

The kind of 'mobility' I'm interested in is social mobility - e.g. through mixed communities. Not just 'mobility' that you're proposals are aimed at encouraging (i.e. to get ordinary people out of the nice areas of central London and other big cities).

Also, on another point, can I just say that this government has done more to encourage me to become more directly involved in politics and become a councillor myself than any other previous administration. A Labour councillor, that is

[MmeLindt]

Re: capping rents

Not sure if this is necessary but a way of safeguarding tenants would be to improve their rights with regard to landlords being able to turf them out at short notice.

I lived in Germany for many years and this was not possible. A tenant could only be evicted IF the landlord under very strict conditions.

Long-term or unlimited rental agreements are the norm there and it means that people are happy to live in rented accomodation.

Would this be something that your government would look at? Improving renters rights?

[madamadore]

"We don't think it's fair that working people should pay their taxes to ensure that others can live in the kind of homes that they themselves could not possibly afford."

I am a working person and actually I am happy to pay my taxes so people who are vulnerable and can't work, and can't afford to pay extortionate rent levels can have a decent place to live. The problem is that rents are too high, higher than most other countries and somehow that has to be brought under control. I don't see any serious attempts to do that.

[Hullygully]

32%. So that's all right then.

And if people have to move away from existing social networks where they have help with child/ elderly parent care to an area where they have no support network and where there is even less likelihood of work - because let's face it, it's cheap for a reason - what exactly is it that differentiates that from a dumping ground?

I hear there might be some cheap rooms in some of Rio's favelas.

[madamimadam]

Exactly, NotAnother. I couldn't have put it better myself.

[GrantShapps]

@Cheddacheese

Hello Mr Shapps

I would like to ask about the current social housing allocation system in my area call Herts Choice Homes. I am on this waiting list and have been since 2004.

My circumstances changed last year which means my priority date changed to November 2009 even though my circumstances became more urgent. I also feel that we have not been placed in the correct band. My Aunty wrote to you in detail on the 14th October and your office confirmed receiving it on the 15th October. We still have not received a reply.

Will your rethink include how people are prioritised on these lists?

Thank you

Hi Cheddacheese, The law currently provides that people with identified housing needs the homelessness, people in overcrowded housing get clear priority for social housing.

Social housing costs the taxpayer a lot of money. So, I think it's right that it should be focused on those who need it most when they need it most.

Having said that, there is scope within the law for councils to take into account factors other than housing need, such as whether people are in work or otherwise contributing to their community - and an increasing number of councils are changing their allocation schemes to provide for this.

Under our changes to social housing allocations, councils will be able to operate a more focussed waiting list - which better reflects local circumstances and can be more easily understood by local people. It will also be easier for council to manage unrealistic expectations -by excluding from their waiting list people who have little or no prospect of ever getting social housing.

[JustineMumsnet]

Thanks all. We have to close now but Grant has said he's happy to address any outstanding themes over the next few days so we'll be back with those answers in the next little while.

[packofcards]

NANN, yes I would, if I had timestand for Labour as well.

Grant as I have said I work and so does DH but with both of us working, we can not afford privet rents where we are. Thank god that we have a social housing house.

[madamadore]

MmeLindt I agree - I am from Italy and my dad lets out a property there. Contracts are for 5 years. Yes, it can be annoying at times, having to think ahead whether one needs to give notice (1 year notice). But then it's not a big deal either. When I came to this country I found that it's uncivilised how landlords can kick people out so easily.

[GrantShapps]

@nomoremagnolia

I'm afraid this is nothing to do with housing and isn't even a question!

I just wanted to say thank you for your research looking into the postcode lottery of IVF funding. Thanks to you (and to the MNer who sent me a link to your article) my husband and I got a second funded IVF cycle after discovering that our PCT had changed their criteria. I would not have been aware of this if it hadn't been for your report as we had already been seen under the old criteria and the one cycle we'd had funded then did not work out.

Our second cycle earlier this year was succesful and we now have a wonderful 7 week old son :)

Fantastic news Really delighted to hear it.

Thanks everybody, have enjoyed the chat and will try to get back on any major themes that haven't been covered.

[Jaybird37]

It works the opposite way in Paris though. It is so difficult to get tenants out that basically no-one is prepared to rent to you unless you have references from a previous landlord and can show salary slips (so my self-employed brother who owned his own home until he nad his partner split, was really stuck).

[madamimadam]

Hully, where I live there's been such an influx from London that our schools are oversubscribed. Developers have built lots of 'luxury' accommodation (ie it has a roof) but there's no infrastructure to support the additional population. The school's issue alone has been a headache for the council.

And this influx is of MC families who can afford to move out. They're not being wrenched out of their communities because they don't 'deserve' to be there.

So where do you intend these displaced people to go? Will you fund the additional services that such an influx will create?

Grant, can you really not see why we think these measures haven't been properly thought through?

Or do you just not care as long as they're out of Zone 1?

[madamimadam]

Tax avoidance schemes cost us more.

[Eleison]

Glad to hear he will be getting back on some major themes. Hope these will include the question as to how it is that the community-building of both localism and the Big Society can go hand in hand with the active undermining of local third-sector organisations.

[Hullygully]

What Lady Porter began...

Still, they'll soon regret it when there's no one to clean their houses, mind their kids and drive their cars about. Oh, and clean the hospitals and schools, paint and decorate etc etc etc

I'ts all total lala land.

[packofcards]

Hully sounds about right.

[madamimadam]

Thank you Grant.

[Cheddacheese]

I just got in !! I hope you will still respond to my Aunts letter though ??

[Hullygully]

And most children living in poverty are children of the working poor. And guess why they have to claim housing and other benefits? Could it be because wages are so low? Surely not! How about increasing the minimum wage so that families can afford to support themselves?

Let's have a sweepstake as to how long it is before the reintroduction of the workhouse.

[madamimadam]

Hully, couldn't agree more.

May be then they'll bus us in to do it for them though. They might even try to present it as a gameshow for volunteers: "Who Wants to Clean A Millionaire'.

No. They'd never be that insulting.
Would they?

[Hullygully]

And as for the Big Society...



So as well as working longer hours harder than ever, we've all got to find time to run our own schools and hospitals and attend a few council meetings. Oh yes.

[Hullygully]

I thought Thatcher was bad enough.

Who'd have guessed that this lot were on the horizon? Playing: Let's abolish the state completely.

Why don't they understand we all like the state. We don't like them tho.

And as for locals running everything - who remembers Rotten Boroughs?

[NotAnotherNewNappy]

Thank you Madamimadam & packofcards.

HUGE thank you to Justine and m'net for arranging this webchat.

Unfortunately, due to my career, I am unable express my views under my own name on social networking sites, much less stand for councillor. Housing is the one issue that has been making me want to spit fire since the formation of the coalition government. It was really great to have the opportunity to tackle Mr Shapps directly. You've probably prevented me from getting an ulcer.

Well done ladies, I'd say we wrapped him up in foil, squirted him with a huge semen collecting device and gave him a thoroughly good roasting [completely non sarcastic ]

Now please take his bloody photo off the front page, it's making me feel sick every time I log in!!

[LadyBlaBlah]

That was some lecture