"We've got to be bold! Where we have had success, we have been bold." - Greater Essex Mayoral candidate, Louise Mckinlay.
A well-attended, knowledgeable, and thoughtful online discussion on housing policy on Tuesday, 31 March, saw Tees Valley Combined Authority Mayor Lord Ben Houchen lead a panel which also featured Louise McInlay, Greater Essex Mayoral candidate and Cheshire and Warrington Mayoral candidate, Ben Fletcher.
The panel opened the discussion by sharing their perspectives and the challenges they see facing the UK housing market, which was then followed by a considered and insightful discussion and debate by the large online audience, who met in a series of breakout rooms to discuss questions on housing policy. Each discussion group chose a spokesperson to feedback their key thoughts on the housing challenges facing the UK, which the Mayor and Mayoral candidate responded to.
Key themes up for discussion included:
- What should a future housing strategy achieve?
- Productivity, family, opportunity: how can housing help?
- Why are young people locked out of home ownership?
- Supply vs demand—where should we focus?
- Mortgage access vs stability: how to balance?
- Land use, skills and the planning system: what reforms are needed?
