Fears that Queen's Speech could worsen property crisis in Sussex

Concerns have been raised the region could miss out with an increased focus on the so-called “northern powerhouses”.

Experts also said the Housing Bill, which proposes money off for renters buying their housing association homes, would worsen the property crisis.

Ed Allison-Wright, from the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said Greater Brighton is ready for the same blueprint as the north.

He said: “The northern powerhouse agenda is a sensible idea, focusing not on best practice ideas but on location specific ideas, but as the saying goes, you shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds you, and the South East is a significant contributor to the UK economy.

“With serious needs within a number of sectors still not met in the Greater Brighton area, government must remain aware that the northern powerhouse and Greater Manchester agenda is providing a blueprint for other areas.

“Collaborative working between private and public sectors is key to success and focus cannot shift from the job that’s been commenced here in the South East. For Greater Brighton in particular, we ready and waiting for the same blueprint as the north.”

Brighton and Hove’s newly elected council leader Warren Morgan has previously said he hoped that the Greater Brighton Region would be considered for devolved powers.

Last night he urged the government to make sure powers were spread fairly and equally. Coun Morgan said: “Brighton and Hove should not have to merge with neighbouring towns under a directly elected mayor to qualify for government funding.

“We should be given fair and equal treatment whilst retaining local identities and locally-elected councils that work in partnership, and we should be given the financial tools to get on with the job of running services and building the local economy."

Business leaders said they too were watching the progress of locally devolved powers and would make sure the region’s voice was heard.

Gavin Stewart, executive director of Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said: “This is certainly something that locally we will be working with partners to take forward. “The Government’s work with Devo Manc (Devolution Manchester) is something that the whole country will be looking at but it’s still unclear whether this will translate to areas like ours. “Our work with regional partners, the LEP, Greater Brighton and Coastal West Sussex certainly lends itself to looking at more devolved powers for the region, but whether or not the infrastructure exists to deliver it is another thing. However, it’s a direction that I think we all want to move in so we will be working hard to make our voice heard via our partners.”

Housing experts also expressed fears the Right to Buy proposal could worsen the region’s housing crisis. If the bill is passed, housing association tenants could get up to a £77,900 discount when buying their home.

The discount is already available to those buying their council house, but the proposal would extend to housing association tenants. It is estimated there are 5,000 housing association tenants in Brighton and Hove alone.

But with a chronic homelessness crisis and a lack of space, and 16,000 people on the city council’s housing waiting list, it has been claimed selling off more affordable property will only make the problem worse.

Andy Winter, from Brighton Housing Trust, said councils were typically only able to replace one in 19 properties lost under Right to Buy and that subsidies could be better used to resolve the housing shortage.

He said: “Right to Buy has already reduced the amount of social housing by up to 40%.

“It has also pushed up rents three to four times. It will also put housing associations in a difficult position where they may not want to sell their properties.

“The government will be forcing charities to sell assets the government had no part in funding in the first place.

“What will happen is people in the nicest properties will take advantage of the right to buy and the people in the worst properties won’t. The danger is it could be an incentive for housing associations not to provide really good accommodation.”

Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, added: “Plans to sell off even more social houses, from a Government that has utterly failed to build enough new homes, will further deepen the serious housing crisis we face in this country.

“This Queen’s Speech is dangerous and damaging, locking in austerity and failing to make the investment in the green economy which would address the climate crisis and create 100s of thousands of new jobs.

“A further rise in the tax free threshold does far too little to help the one in five workers earning less than a Living Wage, and won’t compensate those hardest hit by the devastating cuts to social security that we’ve seen over the last five years.”

PM's Packed agenda

DAVID Cameron set out a packed agenda for the next 12 months in the first Conservative-only Queen's Speech for almost 20 years.

A number of bills were announced which will pave the way for an EU referendum, the devolution of powers to the nations and regions of the UK  and the banning of a rise in income tax, VAT or National Insurance.

The Prime Minister told the House of Commons the package was "a Queen's Speech for working people from a One Nation Government that will bring our country together".
But interim Labour leader Harriet Harman said the Tory agenda was "unravelling" even before the Queen arrived at Westminster, after Mr Cameron omitted an expected Bill to scrap the Human Rights Act and introduce a British Bill of Rights.

Mr Cameron made clear that the policies announced represented a full-blown Conservative agenda freed from the shackles of coalition with Liberal Democrats.
He said election victory had given the Tories a mandate for a "clear programme for working people, social justice and bringing our country together", which would deliver full employment, extend the Right to Buy to housing association tenants, increase free childcare and create a "truly seven-day NHS".
He said legislative changes will create a "tax lock" barring increases in the rates of income tax, VAT and National Insurance for the next five years, along with a legal requirement for anyone working 30 hours a week or less on the minimum wage to be taken out of income tax altogether.

Further devolution is promised for Scotland and Wales, and measures will be introduced to give English MPs the final say on legislation affecting only England at Westminster. Meanwhile, cities and combined authorities which take on elected mayors will be offered devolution of powers over decision-making and budgets.

However, Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said the speech was a "missed opportunity".
She added: "The glaring omission from the Queen's Speech is any substantial action on climate change. The evidence in favour of urgent action could not be clearer, yet the Government is set to sit idly by and miss this historic opportunity to be a world leader in facing up to the climate crisis.

"Credible solutions to tackle climate change and rebuild our economy exist, but the lack of environmental policy in this Queen's Speech shows that the Government is failing in its responsibility to future generations.”

John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, described it as a positive start. He said: "If the last parliament was defined by austerity, this one should be defined by growth. And the Government needs a confident, unapologetic programme to deliver that sustained growth. It is a positive start.”

TAXES

The National Insurance Contributions Bill and Finance Bill will ensure there are no rises in rates of income tax, VAT or National Insurance over the next five years.
The threshold at which earnings become liable for income tax will rise from £10,600 to £12,500 and nobody working 30 hours a week on the minimum wage will ever have to pay income tax.
Gavin Stewart, executive director of Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said: “It must be tempting to any new Government to make a splash out of announcing a veto on something that was potentially never going to happen.  
“Only a drop in these figures matched with negative inflation would give rise to more money in people’s pockets. As it stands it will simply mean that people have the same, if not less money.”

HOUSING

The Right to Buy will be extended to 1.3 billion housing association tenants, giving them the same opportunities as council housing tenants to buy their homes at a discount.
Henry Gregg, assistant director of the National Housing Federation, said: “Housing associations are ambitious about building the homes this country needs, particularly affordable housing.
“We look forward to working with government to ensure housing associations are given the tools to deliver on their ambition and build the homes this country desperately needs.
“But we need to ensure these new homes are built where people need them and available at a price people can afford. However, the proposed Right to Buy extension and welfare reforms put these plans at risk.”

LEGAL HIGHS

The Queen announced “the new generation of psychoactive drugs” would be banned.
“Headshops”, she said, would be banned from selling potentially deadly unlicensed legal highs – the likes of which killed promising Brighton medical student Hester Stewart. The move was welcomed by her mother, Maryon.
In a statement, Maryon Stewart’s charity Angelus said: “It has been like the wild west until now, with young people able to access these dangerous products virtually without restriction. So, naturally, we are pleased the new government has made this issue an early priority.
“It is not a perfect solution. Some internet trade will remain so it is vital the legal changes are combined with a sustained public awareness campaign.”

EUROPEAN UNION

The European Union Referendum Bill will provide for a public vote on EU membership before the end of 2017.
UKIP MEP Ray Finch, pictured, declared the opportunity to decide on whether to stay in Europe as “critical importance for everybody”.
He added: “It has an impact on every part of our lives from tax to the HS2.
“It’s  everything that is important in our lives that’s controlled by the EU.
“It is an issue of critical importance for everybody in how we live our lives and wish to be governed.”

DEVOLUTION

Further devolution is promised for Scotland and Wales and measures will be introduced to give English MPs the final say on legislation affecting only England at Westminster.
The Government also promised a “revolution” in the way England is governed, with elected mayors presiding over far greater powers in major cities and hopes to extend the “Northern Powerhouse vision”.
Daniel Humphreys, leader of Worthing Borough Council, said: “The devil is always in the detail. We have said we are up for working with other local authorities on devolved powers. That’s how it should have been a long time ago. For Worthing the most significant thing to come out of the Queen’s Speech is the Communities and Local Government Devolution Bill  which could have a big impact.”

CHILDCARE

A Childcare Bill will provide working parents with 30 hours a week of free childcare for three and four-year-olds.
Mother of two Lucy Snell, from Shoreham, runs her own business helping other parents get back to work. She said: “Because this isn’t coming into effect until 2017 it will be too late for my two and a half year old.
“But it is definitely a step in the right direction.
“For a lot of working mums the childcare costs can be crippling.
“With two children you can pay £1,500 to £2,000 a month.
“This could make the kind of massive difference that can help you back to work.”