I don’t discriminate, but ….

What I really don’t like is virtue signalling. I always think that these are the worst as regards racism, being judgemental and looking for faults that don’t exist.

I would like local authorities to be able to compulsory purchase properties that have been empty for , say two years, for a nominal sum, that is if the owner can be found, and just take possession if the owner is unknown.

Owner unknown would be theft.

Two years - I know people nowadays who are taking up to 7 years from purchase to making a home.
Mainly because funds are hard to come by.
So people are taking far longer to buy a property and do it up. Well they are around here.

Lizzies

I saw someone the other day say that getting planning permission for the spaces above retail premises to be used for accommodation is really difficult. If councils want more accommodation in towns then surely this would solve some problems. People would be near places to work and wouldn’t need to travel, they would use the shops nearby and keep them more viable, etc.

Funnily enough, my daughter has twice tried to buy different flats which were above retail premises, and found it almost impossible to find a mortgage lender willing to lend on such a property - supposedly because there is greater risk of break-ins, etc.

Well said Cossy- I couldn't agree more.

MartavTaurus - I agree with you also. When someone begins a sentence by saying "I am not racist but" or "I am not homophobic but* their words that follow indeed carry their emphasis by virtue of their position in the sentence. That's easy to see and understand.

Even when the second part is a contradiction to their initial statement "I am not racist but" the second part is the true meaning of their message and the latter statement is indeed the stronger message and more remembered by the listener.

He could start by addressing those houses in every county, up and down Britain, currently left empty.

A cause dear to my heart which I have mentioned many times before but something which Burnham, who says he is keen to devolve powers to local authorities, might do something about.

The empty homes data published by Action on Empty Homes is drawn from local council tax records.

www.actiononemptyhomes.org/facts-and-figures

static1.squarespace.com/static/6553693f7d629a133b6a4ece/t/6930a237c226f15c8bcdc151/1764794935462/data+overview+THIS+ONE.pdf

I’d like to see ambitious targets set for identifying why particular homes have been left empty and local councils exercising the necessary interventions (and giving support if required) to bring them back into use.

I saw someone the other day say that getting planning permission for the spaces above retail premises to be used for accommodation is really difficult. If councils want more accommodation in towns then surely this would solve some problems. People would be near places to work and wouldn’t need to travel, they would use the shops nearby and keep them more viable, etc.

Good post Cossy. People like to have someone to blame for problems in society and the boat people are taking the brunt of their dissatisfaction.
If they are blamed then people don't have to think any further about what causes all the present difficulties.

A good post and an interesting one.

However, from my days of linguistics, I remember learning that the words that come after but and although carry more emphasis by virtue of their position in the sentence. I can't remember what it was called used this way, a something or other conjunctive, and its function is to make the latter statement the stronger and more remembered by the listener, who then sees it as a contradiction of the first statement, when it might not be.

A bit of a jumble here, I know, but just to say I would cut people some slack by second guessing the manner in which they express themselves.

The rest of the post is sound.

Fallingstar

Rough sleepers usually self medicate with drugs or drink because most have mental health problems and have fallen through enormous cracks in our care system. For the past few decades huge cuts have been made to care for adults with mental health problems but have saved no money because rough sleepers often take up beds in the NHS or end up in our prisons, all of which costs money.
Caring for theses adults will free up goodness knows how many places in our prisons, because many inmates are mentally ill, so instead of early releases I think it would be wise to address this.

I completely agree

Rough sleepers usually self medicate with drugs or drink because most have mental health problems and have fallen through enormous cracks in our care system. For the past few decades huge cuts have been made to care for adults with mental health problems but have saved no money because rough sleepers often take up beds in the NHS or end up in our prisons, all of which costs money.
Caring for theses adults will free up goodness knows how many places in our prisons, because many inmates are mentally ill, so instead of early releases I think it would be wise to address this.

Well said Cossy.

Well said Cossy.
Could not say it better 💐

You are right Cossy
Regarding the rough sleeping problem though, what Andy Burnham has said he will do is offer rough sleepers a place.
He can't compel people to take up the offer but at least he is intending to do what is possible, as it was during covid.

I would like local authorities to be able to compulsory purchase properties that have been empty for , say two years, for a nominal sum, that is if the owner can be found, and just take possession if the owner is unknown.

I couldn't agree more, Cossy. Well said.