Councils can lead on housing improvements | Letter
Dr Stephen Battersby on the lessons this Labour government can learn from the 1970sYour editorial quoting Sam Johnson-Schlee saying that our ability to trust that our homes will keep us...
By Guardian Staff · The Guardian Opinion
Dr Stephen Battersby on the lessons this Labour government can learn from the 1970s Your editorial quoting Sam Johnson-Schlee saying that our ability to trust that our homes will keep us safe is under threat is not news to environmental health officers working in housing ( The Guardian view on Britain’s uninhabitable homes: as temperatures rise, a new approach is needed, 23 July ). Every day they are faced with homes that contain threats to the health and safety of occupiers – from excess heat or cold, or damp and mould. For many years there has been a lack of resources, including environmental health staff to inspect homes or the political will to tackle the problems on the scale needed. You are right to suggest that a new approach is required, but we can also learn from the 1970s, when local authorities would take the lead on collective action to improve housing. So councils should be the place to look to get things moving. This will require funding, not only to help homeowners but also to ensure that councils have sufficient staff with the right skills. Continue reading...