Eastbourne Borough Council Leader Stephen Holt: I made our record of building clear to Parliament

Last week I went to Parliament to give evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Council and Social Housing.

I began with a figure that still shocks me. There are now more children living in temporary accommodation across England than there are children in the whole of East Sussex and Brighton and Hove.

I made our record of building clear to Parliament, and the solutions we have developed. The real answer is more council homes, and we’re not short of ambition. Despite being hemmed in by the sea and the South Downs, we have built new affordable homes on old industrial and car park sites, and started work on 130 more.

The problem is cost. A council home doesn’t cost less to build because its rent is lower, and building on old brownfield sites adds further expense. Meanwhile, more than 900 homes in Eastbourne have planning permission but haven’t been built. My message to MPs was simple. Give councils fair funding, tackle the cost of temporary accommodation, and we will build the homes Eastbourne families need.

Last week also brought news on the future of local government. The government has announced a ‘minded to’ decision on reorganisation in East Sussex. Elections to the new unitary council will take place in 2028, and the new council will be formed in 2029.

That gives us a little more clarity, and time to get this right for residents. Whatever shape local government takes, Eastbourne must keep a strong voice.

However, we remain disappointed that the government still plans to move Peacehaven, Telscombe and East Saltdean out of East Sussex and into Brighton and Hove. They may not be part of Eastbourne, but most people who responded to the consultation objected. Those communities have made their wishes clear, and they deserve to be listened to. We will keep making that case.