AT A recent meeting of City of York Council’s cabinet we had a paper which set out a one year update of our Get York Building programme.

I have ensured the video of this part of the meeting can be found at the website www.tinyurl.com/getyorkbuilding

The Labour initiative includes a reduction in affordable housing targets and an acceptance of financial contribution towards affordable housing in lieu of onsite provision in rural areas for 18 months.

This has contributed to York achieving planning consent for 1,234 units so far in 2013/14.

In the previous year it was 370 and it was 174 when Labour was elected to lead City of York Council.

York Conservatives have never supported affordable housing as requirement of new housing developments.

They have previously called for a ten per cent target and at a times abolition of a requirement altogether.

If the council had accepted a ten per cent target for affordable housing, York would have achieved 99 less affordable housing consents than achieved in the last year.

Labour wants to see new homes built and for local people to benefit.

The Conservatives want to see as few homes built as possible and for the benefit to go to the wealthy.

Councillor James Alexander Labour Leader of City of York Council.