‘Sixteen housing ministers and nothing to show for it’: North Devon’s Lib Dem candidate hits out at ‘zombie government’

The housing crisis facing many families in North Devon won’t be fixed by the 16th housing minister appointed by the Conservative government, according to the man bidding to be the area’s next MP.

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Ian Roome is calling for ‘urgent action’ on provision of truly affordable homes for people struggling to find somewhere to live.

Mr Roome, also leader of North Devon Council, said the council had declared a ‘housing emergency’ in 2021 and has taken positive action to help the district’s most vulnerable residents.

He said: “Housing is one of the council’s top priorities, buying properties, working closely with North Devon Homes and requiring developers provide affordable housing.

“Our policy to crack down on rogue landlords is to introduce a fair deal for renters, including longer default tenancies, rent smoothing over the course of a tenancy and banning no fault evictions.

“We also need to do more to highlight the work of ethical landlords who are not exploiting their tenants.”

Mr Roome said while ‘this zombie government dithers’, there was a clear vision for housing that needed a national target for building social homes, aiming for 150,000 a year by the end of the next parliament. He said there should be new powers for local authorities to build their own social and affordable housing.

He is also calling for a 10 year emergency programme to insulate Britain’s homes as well as new standards to ensure new homes are warm, cheap to heat and produce minimal emissions.

And he said it should be ensured that developers built appropriate infrastructure needed for new housing developments.

Plus there should be an abolition of leaseholds for residential properties and effectively end ground rents by cutting them to a nominal fee, as well as fully safeguarding renters by ending no-fault evictions.

He added: “North Devon MP Selaine Saxby recently stated the government was taking ‘first steps towards reform’.

“Are ‘first steps’ all that the Conservatives have to show for five years of promises and 16 housing ministers?

“Children living in uninhabitable homes or forced out of their homes by rogue landlords, looking to capitalise on their vulnerability, are having their life chances utterly ruined. While the government does nothing to intervene.

“But if the Westminster government does not meet its promises to safeguard rental tenants, then it is only a matter of time before local councils across England are overwhelmed by the spiralling costs of the housing crisis.”

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