The Future Of Council Housing

Originally published in 1982, at a time when the UK government was pursuing the policy of council house sales, this book explores the implications of selling council houses, criticises the housing management and policies of the 1970s and 80s and argues forcefully for the retention of the council housing sector.

Originally published in 1982, at a time when the UK government was pursuing the policy of council house sales, this book explores the implications of selling council houses, criticises the housing management and policies of the 1970s and 80s and argues forcefully for the retention of the council housing sector.

Named one of the Top 10 books about council housing - the Guardian online Born of idealism, and once an icon of the Labour movement and pillar of the Welfare State, council housing is now nearing its end. But do its many failings outweigh its positive contributions to public health and wellbeing? Alison Ravetz here provides the first comprehensive and apolitical history from which to arrive at a balanced judgement. Drawing on the widest possible evidence, from tenant and government records to the built environment itself, she tells the story of British council housing, from its seeds in Victorian reactions to 'the Poor', in philanthropy and model villages, Christian and other varieties of socialism. Her depiction of council housing in its mature years shows the often bizarre persistence of 'utopian' attitudes (whether in architectural design or management styles); its rise to a monopoly position in working-class family housing; the many compromises consequent on its state finance and local authority control; and the impact on working-class lives as an intellectuals' 'utopian dream' was converted into a social policy for the masses.

Discusses issues surrounding social housing in Wales at the beginning of the 21st century, and examines likely trends over the next 10-20 years.

Looking at the future of local government, this book examines the different changes, such as community charge and other financial changes, housing reforms, education reforms services, local democracy and other problems within the local government.

Drawing on a unique archive spanning the lifetime of twenty council estate projects in the UK and using hundreds of resident voices, this book reveals the secrets of council housing’s failures and successes, and the reasons for them. Bringing to light the complex variety of the lived experiences of residents, it shows how estate pathways were predetermined by factors such as location, design and date, as well as by their local and national social, economic and political contexts. The book highlights what can be learned from some of the successes of less successful housing projects and provides lessons for building sustainable communities in the twenty-first century.

This book concentrates on the reasons for the demise of council housing as a social housing provider, focusing on the issue of housing management. It highlights the government's critique of local authorities as landlords and the policy developments which have led to the possibility that council housing may disappear altogether in the future.