An update on Oakfield Terrace
We had hoped to be writing a different update today.
However, yesterday evening, Tuesday 10th December, Liverpool City Council Cabinet members approved the proposal that included Oakfield Terrace on a list of 40+ other properties to be sold on the open market.
Despite this blow, we left the Town Hall utterly staggered by the numbers who joined our demonstration outside of the Town Hall - what a fantastic statement of people’s support for the community-led movement!
Tom had requested to speak at the Cabinet Meeting on behalf of our membership, however due to a technicality in the council’s procedure, he was not able to speak for 2 minutes as expected, and instead was limited to asking one question.
Here is the full statement he had prepared:
“I’m speaking on behalf of the 207 members of Homebaked Community Land Trust - the majority of whom are local residents of North Liverpool.
I strongly urge elected members not to vote in favour of this proposal that plans to sell Oakfield Terrace on the open market, without proper scrutiny and without members having all of the facts.
This u-turn in the council's commitment to community ownership sends a clear message to our community and other communities across our city; what we want or need in our neighbourhoods does not seem to matter to the council.
The council says this decision is to address the housing crisis. My community organised for this very reason, and our scheme can support families living in temporary accommodation - through a nominations agreement.
Councillor Small, says local people are frustrated. Yes we are frustrated. Frustrated about the failed top-down, profit driven regeneration that continues to blight our community.
There is another way.
One empty terrace won’t fix the council’s housing problem, but protecting it in community ownership would be a statement and commitment to a positive future for Anfield.
We have had plans and money to develop the full terrace, and time and time again, the council’s delays over the land transfer have prevented this from happening.
My question to you as cabinet members is:
Why has the Council created a community-led housing policy for the transfer of assets to community-led housing groups, but has chosen instead to hastily include 179-195 Oakfield Road, in its Void Housing Stock Asset List for ‘disposal on the open market’ despite there being a clear community-led initiative, and without it even undergoing at least the same due diligence process as the other properties on the list?”
This statement was intended to respond directly to Cllr. Nick Small’s claims which mis-represent the situation. However, regardless of what was said (or not said) at the meeting, we believe it was already a done deal.
We would like to note the support received from Cllr. Lena Simic. Lena delivered a powerful speech, naming the many people who had written to her, and giving a platform for your voices to be heard in the Town Hall, set out alongside her own concerns with the proposal.
Following LCC’s decision we have had many messages of support and solidarity from across the country, including from the Community Land Trust Network who posted this to their LinkedIn:
“We were completely dismayed to hear Liverpool City Council announce its intention to sell 9 empty terraced properties on the open market, which were slated to be to be handed over to Homebaked Community Land Trust to create new affordable homes.…We stand in solidarity with the leaders of Homebaked CLT, who have given huge amounts of their time, dedication and energy to this outstanding and iconic CLT project. Our CEO, Tom Chance, has lobbied the Liverpool City Council to reconsider their decision.”
See https://www.linkedin.com/posts/clt-network_we-were-completely-dismayed-to-hear-liverpool-activity-7272597882422145025-OXgx?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop for their full post.
We now find ourselves at a crossroads, with some important decisions ahead. As a community-led organisation, we will have an all members meeting in January, to collectively explore and decide which path we take next. The details of the meeting will be shared before Christmas.
Thank you again for all of the support shared.
