Newspaper Column – The Voice – 22/10/25

 

• The new Communities Secretary – Steve Reed MP – has agreed to meet. We already have thousands of desperately needed, shovel-ready social homes which could be delivered today, but we can’t because the last 5 years has seen a perfect storm in the construction sector, undermining project viability, and the ability of housing charities to build homes which already have planning permission. 

We must find a way of getting the ambitious target of genuinely affordable and social homes delivered. I can give the Secretary of State many examples of schemes from my former life with Cornwall Community Land Trust (CCLT), for which I remain as a volunteer Board Member. We’ve been very successful in working with communities and housing association partners to deliver hundreds of genuinely affordable homes across Cornwall and on Scilly, protected for local community benefit and need, in perpetuity. 

CCLT has many more projects for which planning permission has been granted – 10 across Cornwall and Scilly, amounting to another 130+ homes – but construction industry inflation has meant these must now be mothballed till the market comes right. We don’t want them to be converted to open market homes, which could be built and delivered tomorrow. They must be built for local need. 

This problem is replicated across Cornwall and England. That’s why I’ve asked Steve Reed to meet me and other representatives from across the community-led charitable homes sector to find a way of delivering the homes needed. 

 

• There’s a 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥  

This Friday, 24th October – 12pm to 6pm
At Humphry Davy School, Penzance 

An array of local charities, advice agencies and support put together. The Festival will celebrate the talent and kindness of our community organisations. 

Family-friendly, it offers a range of support available, particularly for wellbeing and to help with cost-of-living challenges.  

The festival will feature stalls offering advice, resources, and connections, alongside a variety of activities and attractions.  

Free, freshly cooked, soup and snack will also be available throughout.  

It’s an honour to be asked to arrange and host this. I’m enormously grateful to many local charities (including: Trelya, Volunteer Cornwall, Penzance Foodbank, Whole Again Communities), public agencies (like the Job Centre, Healthy Cornwall, Ambulance and Fire services, Active Cornwall, Livewest, South West Water) and advice organisations (like Citizens’ Advice/CAB, Inclusion Cornwall, Neighbourhood Energy Action, Mental Health Hub, Age UK, local GP Surgeries). Over 30 organisations, demonstrating the wealth of talent, support and help available.  

Organised by my office, with the support of a volunteer team. 

I look forward to seeing you there. 

andrew.george.mp@parliament.uk  

01736 339526 

Andrew George MP