Westminster Housing Conference

On Friday, I attended a conference organised by Westminster Council to discuss the report of the Housing Commission (see here) and to debate how the Council should develop policy for the future.

It was great to see so many people in one room passionate about improving urban housing. The leader of Westminster Council, Simon, and the Cabinet Member for Housing, Angela, both spoke at the beginning, along with representatives from housing providers and the Housing Corporation.

Later, we split into five groups to discuss particular aspects of housing policy, and I attended a group which debated how to make neighbourhoods ‘work’, led by the Deputy Director of PCHA (much in our thoughts this year after Genesis’s acquisition of Dibdin House). The debate was well led, with many great suggestions from people on the ground, in Harrow Road, Maida Vale, Church Street and Queen’s Park.

The conference was the second opportunity this week for us (along with the Scrutiny Committee) to highlight how we believe housing can be improved in Maida Vale. Westminster’s new housing strategy will be published early next year.

Lee