Working Together on Housing in West Berkshire

I recently met with West Berkshire Council to discuss the challenges our area is facing in providing affordable and social housing. It’s clear that the lack of social housing is a major issue locally, and it’s something that has been raised with me time and again by residents.

This was a constructive and positive meeting. The Council and I are working closely together to explore solutions and to make sure that local people’s concerns are heard at both a regional and national level.

One of the points raised was the difficulty in securing registered housing landlords to take on smaller developments. This risks limiting the availability of affordable homes in our communities. To help address this, I have agreed to write directly to Sovereign Housing about their approach, and I’m also working to set up a meeting with the Housing Minister so that West Berkshire can make its case for more social housing provision.

Tackling the housing shortage is not something that can be done alone – it requires real partnership. I’m pleased that here in West Berkshire, we are working together with the Council to push for change and ensure that families, young people, and vulnerable residents get the homes they need.