Charlotte MacKenzie

Posts Tagged ‘housing’

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Help for homeowners

In Uncategorized on December 8, 2008 at 4:55 pm

Many people who have mortgages in Carrick are concerned at the fall in house prices and the cost of mortgages.

Charlotte MacKenzie, the Labour candidate who wants to be MP for Truro and Falmouth, said:

“I would urge people to seek advice if like many they are finding it difficult to pay bills, worried about the fall in house prices, and facing reduced hours or possible job loss.

“Everybody knows that with incomes being lower and house prices previously soaring in Cornwall many families stretched their budget to afford to buy a home.

“It is really important the Government helps people keep the homes they have worked hard for and provides the support that is needed to weather this difficult period. That’s why I support the new Homeowner Mortgage Support Scheme which will enable households that experience a temporary loss of income as a result of the economic downturn to defer a proportion of the interest payments on their mortgage for up to two years.”

The Government will guarantee the deferred interests payments in return for banks’ participation in the scheme. The scheme was announced last week and is now being developed in detail, with a view to it being available to customers early in the New Year.

The country’s eight largest banks have already pledged that they will work with the Government to develop the scheme. The 8 largest lenders cover 70% of the mortgage market – HBOS, Nationwide, Abbey, Lloyds TSB, Northern Rock, Barclays, RBS, HSBC – have all agreed to support the new scheme.

Other help is also available to those in difficulty with mortgage payments:

1. The National Homelessness Advice Service (NHAS) to produce a consumer leaflet Worried about your mortgage? Get advice now.

2. The new mortgage pre-action protocol, introduced by the Civil Justice Council, came into effect last week. The new protocol makes clear that repossessions should be a last resort. Lenders must discuss and try to agree with borrowers alternatives to repossession. The Government has also expanded court advice services available to help those facing repossession.

3. A new mortgage rescue scheme targeted to help up to 6,000 households avoid the trauma of repossession over the next two years. Depending on their specific circumstances, eligible home owners will be offered either a shared equity option, enabling the household’s monthly mortgage payments to be reduced, or the option of Government mortgage to rent with the household remaining in the property as a tenant paying subsidised rent.

4. New support measures to help vulnerable homeowners meet their mortgage interest payments. The DWP announced it would be reforming Income Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) by shortening the waiting period before SMI is paid from 39 weeks to 13 weeks for new working age claims. This will take effect from 5 January 2009. The capital limit for new working age claims will also increase to £175,000 from January 2009.


Meet the need for affordable local homes

In Uncategorized on October 6, 2008 at 9:58 am

A petition is calling for more action to meet the need for affordable local homes. The petition was launched in September, as the Government announced measures to help keep the housing market moving despite the credit crunch.

In the Carrick area, 3000 families are on the local housing register. Carrick District Council expects developers to make one in three new homes affordable, but regional plans make it clear that councils can require more new homes to be affordable. In October, local councils will also be invited to make proposals to tackle local problems using new powers of the Sustainable Communities Act.

Local campaigner Charlotte MacKenzie said: “As well as making affordable housing part of local development plans, there is much more that councils can do. For example, by helping to make more publicly owned land available for low-cost homes.

“As an active supporter of the campaign which got the Sustainable Communities Act passed, I know that it could make a difference in Cornwall. I hope that local councils will respond positively when they receive the invitation to make proposals under this Act. Tackling the shortage of affordable homes tops the list of local priorities. All levels of government need to work together to put people first and meet local housing needs.”

You can sign the petition here.

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New council homes in Carrick

In Uncategorized on July 20, 2008 at 7:24 pm

Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Truro and Falmouth Charlotte MacKenzie today welcomed the news that more new homes for rent are to be built locally.

Carrick Housing is one of the organisations nominated as eligible to receive funds from the Housing Corporation, under new measures designed to beat the credit crunch which were announced by Housing Minister Caroline Flint. In order to keep up the supply of new homes despite the impact of reduced borrowing on the housing market, the Government is investing additional funds to support new social and affordable housing, including council housing.

Labour Councillor Gerald Chin-Quee, who chairs the Carrick Housing board, said: “The importance of the fact that Carrick Housing will get the opportunity to build homes is that the first new council owned homes in over 25 years are going to be built. During those 25 years we have seen our housing stock reduced by nearly 50% and we know what effect that has had on the homelessness problem. From this small acorn of hope comes the chance to start putting that right.”

Charlotte MacKenzie said “I’m absolutely delighted that this investment will mean more new homes to rent in the Carrick district area. Carrick Housing’s record is second to none; they are the only South West provider planning new council housing who have been confirmed as eligible this time by the Housing Corporation.”

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Planners must listen to views of local people

In Uncategorized on February 7, 2008 at 1:33 pm

Charlotte MacKenzie’s letter to West Briton:

I welcome the fact that there will now be a rethink of Carrick’s development plans.

For everyone who has looked at the plans, taken part in consultations, or attended the examination in public of the Council’s ‘core strategy’ for development, the Inspector’s finding that Carrick District Council paid insufficient attention to the views expressed through consultation will come as no surprise.

I was one of those who spoke at the hearing in June last year to voice concerns about the environment and housing.

I welcome the fact that tackling climate change will now be given fuller consideration in plans for future development. I hope that the fact that Truro City Council recently accepted a proposal from Cllr Lindsay Southcombe and myself to promote green energy will prompt discussion in 2008 of solutions which will work best for Truro’s community, and step up local commitment to carbon neutral homes.

We also need widespread discussion of how best to provide housing to meet local needs. The Inspector rejected the plans partly because it was unclear that they would deliver housing which is needed, including in Falmouth and Penryn. I will continue to call for two out of three, rather than one in three, new homes to be affordable.

At least now we can expect that, as detailed plans are developed, our Councils will take account of views expressed by local people.

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Call to double Lib Dem commitment to affordable homes

In Uncategorized on April 23, 2007 at 4:06 pm

Responding to news today from the Halifax Bank that the average price of a house in Truro now tops £300,000, Truro and Falmouth Labour Party called for the local commitment to affordable housing to be doubled.

 

The latest figures show that Truro is now the most expensive city for housing in the South West. Carrick District Council currently has 3000 local families on its housing register.

 

In areas of greatest housing need, regional plans recommend that local authorities specify up to two out of three new homes or more are affordable. But local plans drafted by the Liberal Democrat led Carrick District Council make a commitment to just one in three new homes being affordable.

 

Speaking on behalf of Truro and Falmouth Labour Party, Charlotte MacKenzie said: ”Carrick District Council covers an area of very great need for housing that local families can afford. We are concerned that Carrick District Council is not planning realistically to meet the need for affordable homes in Truro and Falmouth. At the Liberal Democrats’ pace, it would take 20 years to house the current register for the Carrick District Council area. We think that the Council should double their commitment and enable more housing for rent to be built.”

 

“In 2006/7, only 20 new affordable homes to rent were completed in Truro, and none at all in Falmouth. Carrick has been identified as a growth point. There is every opportunity to tackle the shortage of affordable homes, but local Liberal Democrats and Tories talk instead about just providing ‘pockets’ of affordable housing.”

 

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Lib Dems fail to tackle local housing needs

In Uncategorized on March 19, 2007 at 10:28 am

The Labour Party in Truro and Falmouth hit out today at local housing plans drawn up by the Liberal Democrat led Carrick District Council. 

The Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West recommends local authorities specify up to two out of three new homes or more are affordable in areas of greatest housing need. Despite being identified as an area for growth, local development plans only make a commitment to one in three new homes being affordable.

Speaking on behalf of Truro and Falmouth Labour Party, local campaigner Charlotte MacKenzie said: “We welcome the fact that Truro has been identified as a growth point. But we are very concerned that this will not tackle shortages of affordable housing in Falmouth. In 2006/7, 20 new affordable homes to rent were completed in Truro, and none at all in Falmouth.”

“Carrick District Council covers an area of very great need for housing that local families can afford. We are concerned that Carrick District Council is not planning realistically to meet the need for affordable homes in Falmouth and Truro. At the Lib Dems’ pace, it would take 20 years to house the current housing register for the Carrick District Council area. They need to do more.”

Truro and Falmouth Labour Party has made a written submission about local housing needs to the RSS examination in public, which will take place shortly.

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