Livingstone urges church to rethink over homes sale
-14/02/06
The Mayor of London is ca
Livingstone urges church to rethink over homes sale
-14/02/06
The Mayor of London is calling on the Church of England to reconsider its decision to sell 1,100 low-rent homes.
The planned sale of homes on Octavia Hill estates in central London sparked fury among tenants who fear rent rises.
Several MPs have pleaded on behalf of the residents and a senior bishop suggested that the decision had effectively destroyed the missionary work of the Church in the community.
Protests have included demonstrations outside Church House and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s residence Lambeth Palace
Now Mayor Ken Livingstone has written to the Archbishop of Canterbury asking for the homes to be kept or sold to a registered social landlord.
But Church Commissioners say the sale will be good for tenants, as the new owners will invest more.
Earlier this month tenants of the houses in Waterloo, Walworth, Vauxhall, Winchester Park and Pimlico held a demonstration to voice concerns that in the future the homes will not be set aside for those on low incomes and key workers.
In his letter, Mr Livingstone wrote: “I am committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing in London.”
He said he understood the church’s need for income to pay clergy’s pensions but argued that it should also consider how the community will be affected.
Earlier this month Andreas Whittam Smith, chairman of the Church Commissioners Assets Committee, said the sale of the properties to the Genesis Housing Group and the Grainger Trust was an “extremely satisfactory outcome”.
He added the commissioners had a clear duty to manage their investments.
Livingstone urges church to rethink over homes sale
-14/02/06
The Mayor of London is calling on the Church of England to reconsider its decision to sell 1,100 low-rent homes.
The planned sale of homes on Octavia Hill estates in central London sparked fury among tenants who fear rent rises.
Several MPs have pleaded on behalf of the residents and a senior bishop suggested that the decision had effectively destroyed the missionary work of the Church in the community.
Protests have included demonstrations outside Church House and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s residence Lambeth Palace
Now Mayor Ken Livingstone has written to the Archbishop of Canterbury asking for the homes to be kept or sold to a registered social landlord.
But Church Commissioners say the sale will be good for tenants, as the new owners will invest more.
Earlier this month tenants of the houses in Waterloo, Walworth, Vauxhall, Winchester Park and Pimlico held a demonstration to voice concerns that in the future the homes will not be set aside for those on low incomes and key workers.
In his letter, Mr Livingstone wrote: “I am committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing in London.”
He said he understood the church’s need for income to pay clergy’s pensions but argued that it should also consider how the community will be affected.
Earlier this month Andreas Whittam Smith, chairman of the Church Commissioners Assets Committee, said the sale of the properties to the Genesis Housing Group and the Grainger Trust was an “extremely satisfactory outcome”.
He added the commissioners had a clear duty to manage their investments.