I'M amazed Brian Pearson should attack Labour's policies by saying we should do more to revitalise the West End. Whilst he was still a councillor, he was one of the few who criticised the housing renewal programme there. Had it been up to him, less would have been more! However, I shall not disappoint him and I shall explain what we are doing to revitalise housing in the inner areas of Morecambe and Lancaster.

The City Council is actively intervening to promote urban regeneration in the West End. We work with housing associations and private landlords to convert squalid houses in multiple occupation into self contained flats.

Mr Pearson asks us to work with developers to bring in owner occupiers. He is pushing at an open door. I recall that while he was still a councillor we won, together with our private sector partners, Bay regeneration, a national award for the Romney scheme which did just that. More has followed.

The capital receipts released by the new Government will enable us to accelerate the programme in the West End and to start housing regeneration work in parts of Skerton and central Lancaster.

Mr Pearson makes the common logical error of confusing houses for sale with empty houses. However, while we do not believe that it is possible to accommodate all the expected housing growth in inner Lancaster and Morecambe, we are determined to do all we can to promote urban regeneration.

Cllr Ian Barker,

Deputy Leader

Lancaster Council.

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