Affordable housing a priority as councils work together

Councils in Shropshire and Herefordshire are working together to improve the amount and type of housing available in each county.

A draft joint housing strategy has been developed, which reinforces the work each council has in hand, and for the first time sets out the shared priorities for the combined housing market area as seen by both Shropshire Council and Herefordshire Council.

Those priorities include making sure there is affordable housing available to the right people in the right places, getting empty properties back onto the market, and ensuring housing is of a good standard of repair.

The strategy is for all types of housing – both privately and council-owned, as well as housing association properties.

Members of Shropshire Council’s Cabinet will discuss the strategy document at a meeting on Wednesday 13 April 2011.  If they agree with the principles, it will then go out to public consultation for people to consider and make comments, before going before councillors for final discussion later in the year.

Councillor Malcolm Price, cabinet member for housing, said:

“This is an important document which will give us a clear direction over the coming years.  The current economic climate means it’s more critical than ever to do all we can to stimulate the housing market.  I’m really pleased we are working with our colleagues in Herefordshire on this, and we will be working closely with all our neighbouring councils on a variety of issues as we move forward.”