As the Reform UK candidate for Portsmouth South and resident I am aware of the issues we face and need addressing.
There has been a huge increase of HMO’s, creating ‘bedsits’ that provide temporary housing. This is not the way forward for young couples embarking on a family life together.
Why not use a different approach, converting a house into flats would provide two homes, not small rooms, a much better option and healthier. An even better option is to build more affordable homes which cannot be snapped up by speculative property owners, but by young people starting out on their own.
Planning needs to be quicker and more transparent, not a fight between councils and developers. Re purpose commercial properties with a built-in community, making sure this applies to every new development i.e. shop unit, doctors surgery, dental practice.
Our Private schools within Portsmouth South are in the firing line too, penalising parents by adding VAT to the cost. Surely this is counterproductive, as it will force more children into our already overcrowded state schools. There should be incentives given to those who can and are willing to pay.
I will not promise the Earth, but I promise to make a difference.