Councils already have the power to prioritise locals Councils in England are being urged to set aside homes for people with a connection to their local area. Authorities already have the power to do this - but not all use it. Housing Minister John Healey says he wants them to be more flexible in the way they apply the rules and tailor allocation more closely to local needs. The government was accused of pandering to the BNP and breaking its own equality laws when it announced the "local homes for local people" plan. But the guidance for councils, which was first promised in July, merely instructs them how to use existing laws and are open to consultation. 'Myths and misunderstandings' Mr Healey said: "People must be given confidence that council homes in their area are allocated fairly. Councils must make sure people can see more clearly how homes are being allocated in their area. "While priority will still be given to those in greatest housing need, they will now also be able to allocate according to needs specific to their local area." Councils are allowed to give priority to people with local connections through jobs and family, although not all do so. Mr Healey cites the example of one borough council, Test Valley, which is looking at the possibility of setting a quota for a proportion of their housing stock to be reserved for people with a local connection. Other local authorities are planning to prioritise people who are working or studying in a particular area. Instead of fiddling around the edges of allocations policy, the housing minister needs to focus on bringing empty properties back into use and building the many new homes that local families need

Sarah Teather, Lib Dem housing spokesman Mr Healey said he also wants councils to do more to tackle the "myths and misunderstandings" around housing allocations by carrying out more surveys of local residents. The British National Party has gained votes in traditional Labour heartlands by claiming British people are being short-changed for housing in favour of newly arrived immigrants. Mr Healey has denied the government has been forced into action by the BNP after the anti-immigration party succeeded in getting two Euro MPs elected, but said he wanted to "nail the myth" that immigrants got special treatment. A Department for Communities and Local Government spokeswoman said the initiative was part of a wider shake-up of council housing, which included new council homes being built and a crackdown on sub-letting. She said it was a "myth" that migrants received favourable treatment, as most new arrivals lived in private accommodation. 'Squabbling' She said that although it was not legislation, councils would have to "take notice" of the government's advice as it was "statutory guidance". But Lib Dem housing spokesman Sarah Teather dismissed it as a PR stunt, which would have little or no impact on people in housing need. She said: "John Healey's press release will do nothing to help the millions of people set to spend this Christmas stuck in temporary accommodation or on the streets. "While Labour and the Tories have spent years squabbling over who should be at the top of the housing queue, that queue has grown longer and longer. "Instead of fiddling around the edges of allocations policy, the housing minister needs to focus on bringing empty properties back into use and building the many new homes that local families need."



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