Meacher demands more homes

OLDHAM MP Michael Meacher is demanding a massive house building programme to help the growing number of families languishing on waiting lists.

The Labour MP, who is a member of the Commons council housing group met with pressure group Defend Council Housing at the launch of its report: Council Housing: Time to Invest.

Mr Meacher wants increased funding for repairs and maintenance of existing council housing, money for a mass programme of first class council housing building, and the £18 billion of housing debt scrapped.

According to Mr Meacher the amount spent on council housing has fallen from about 4.5 per cent of gross domestic product in the 1970s to 1.5 per cent today.

He said: “Today, if we put the same proportion as we put in during the 1970s it would be about £65 to £70 billion, whereas we are actually spending between £20 and £25 billion.”

Latest figures show the number of families on council house waiting lists in Oldham has soared since 1997 from 3,529 to 8,634 in December, 2008.