Big Question: September / October ’24

Tracy Harrison – Chief executive, Northern Housing Consortium

The Government’s focus on housing is good news for Northerners; a safe, secure home provides a foundation to build your life upon.

The proposals to build more homes, including desperately needed social rent homes, are especially welcome, given there are 76,000 people in the North East on housing waiting lists.

We’re pleased the Government is taking a brownfield-first approach; there’s enough brownfield land in the North to build up to 320,000 homes.

Transforming this land will help regenerate communities.

However, if the Government wants to deliver its ambitions, there will also have to be new legislation and policy change.

The signs are encouraging, given it has promised investment in social and affordable housing as part of the next spending review.

But building new homes is not the only way to boost the economy.

Our research has found investment in making homes warmer and more sustainable would kickstart the green economy in the North, potentially creating 77,000 green jobs over the next ten years.

And we will continue to talk to the Government about the changes needed to make sure everyone in the North can benefit from a warm, safe, good quality affordable home in a great community.

 

Jason Oakes – Sales director, 0800 Repair & Oakes Energy

The initiatives unveiled reflect Labour’s commendable intention to address the issues facing our nation.

We now need these pledges turned into long-term commitments in the form of sustainable contracts, so industry can recruit, train and prepare resources to deliver.

The blueprint sets a promising foundation, and planning reform has the potential to address the housing shortage and unlock opportunity for more housebuilding.

However, the plan shouldn’t stop there; a cohesive strategy that includes collaboration across various sectors is crucial to fully realising the country’s potential.

The establishment of Great British Energy is a positive step and, with the national wealth fund bill, represents an opportunity to potentially channel significant investment towards a net-zero future.

Solar panels and heat pumps are not only a clean source of energy, but in abundance will positively impact people’s affordability to decarbonise.

However, funding our way to net-zero will only take us so far.

Great British Energy presents a unique opportunity to educate the public about the benefits of renewable technologies.

For success, a concerted effort is needed to raise awareness about the long-term economic and environmental benefits of renewables, to foster a broader societal move towards sustainable energy.

 

Dr Rebecca Ashcroft – Head, Red House School

We understand the Government’s goal to increase funding for education.

However, the introduction of VAT on school fees could have significant repercussions for our community and for the wider sector too.

This policy may limit access to independent education, making it more challenging for families who already make considerable financial sacrifices for their children’s education.

Independent schools make many positive contributions to the broader educational landscape and local community, such as providing specialised and bespoke educational experiences and relieving pressure on state school systems.

Our priority is to maintain the excellent standard of education and pastoral care that our pupils receive.

We are committed to engaging with policymakers to discuss the potential impact of this proposal, and to advocate for solutions that ensure fair and equitable access to quality education for all families.

We are committed to open dialogue with the Government and stakeholders, to explore balanced approaches that support educational diversity and equity.

 

Marianne O’Sullivan – Policy manager, North East Chamber of Commerce

Creating the conditions for growth was one of the Chamber’s key asks during the election.

The Government’s proposed focus on planning reform is very welcome, as planning delays are a key barrier for our businesses looking to invest and deliver growth.

Reforms to support housing will unlock investment and activity, but we will need to ensure we have the people and skills in place in the planning and construction sectors to support this growth.

With high levels of child poverty in the region, we also need to ensure there is affordable housing and council housing in place to ensure that local growth is inclusive.

We know poor local transport is a key barrier to growth, and we welcome a focus on transport, energy and digital infrastructure.

There is a key role for devolution, with mayors able to develop local growth plans that will shape the national industrial strategy.

There is also an opportunity to highlight our region’s role as an enabler of national growth and deliverer of the net-zero transition.