It’s a failed policy (From York Press)
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It’s a failed policy
10:04am Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Letters
When is a policy not a policy? Answer: when it has failed because then it was never really a policy, just a target.
This exercise in semantics is the latest excuse from Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing for the disastrous affordable housing policies which have all but destroyed private house-building in this city.
It is like saying there isn’t really a 70mph speed limit on our motorways. That’s just a desirable objective so people will hopefully slow down to somewhere near it. Try telling that to the judge.
The viability tests she speaks of are totally unrealistic. If housing projects can be allowed with a lower contribution subject to an artificial viability test, then there was no need to alter the 50 per cent policy, was there? The viability test would set the contribution figure. The decision to reduce the policy figure from 50 per cent to 25/35 per cent says it all.
The theoretical possibility of negotiating down an obligation never did work. Hundreds of homes were classified as affordable under the council’s flawed formula, but in five years only five dwellings were built and handed over – and this was before the economic crisis.
John Jones, Sand Hutton Manor, York.
Comments(4)
Mr Crabtree
says...
1:15pm Tue 7 Feb 12
I wish he could now turn his attentions to persuading the Council that they got it wrong too...... their affordable housing policy, that is !
Mr Crabtree
says...
1:22pm Tue 7 Feb 12
York people are not daft, they can see through all her over-selling. It's not a user-friendly system, it's unfair, discriminatory and used as a big stick to bash housebuilders into giving land and building subsidised social housing, and cutting and limiting developers profits. it's a lesson in left-wing politics; sinister and controlling.
She no longer uses facts to justify it, because the facts show that it failed; and robbed York of hundreds of jobs, thousands of houses and hundreds of millions in losses to York's economy.
IT WAS AND STILL IS A DISASTER !
mickrick
says...
2:52pm Tue 7 Feb 12
Rewarding failure runs right through the looney left like the writing in a stick of rock.
They will keep up the spin and pretence till the cows come home or get voted out. Unfortunately by then more building firms will have moved on or gone bust.
They have the skins of a Rhino, they must have or how do they sleep at night preciding over this disaster
.
If you care for nothing but your own jobs at least spare a thought for all the School leavers crying out for apprenticeships that aren't available entirely due to your policies.
The labour voters who crossed your box have been betrayed. Due the decent thing and resign.
Jezreel says...
10:37am Tue 7 Feb 12
Wait for the message from Mr. Crabtree.
He (Mr Crabtree) is NOT the same person as Matthew, the organiser of this special pleading campaign.
He is not.
Honestly !