We asked you to submit your questions to candidates standing in the 2024 General Election.
From all your submissions, we chose 10 that represented the broad issues you wanted answers to.
We asked every candidate we had contact details for to respond.
We’ll be publishing them in the run-up to the General Election with the responses from the candidates who replied from each constituency.
These are the answers are from candidates standing in the Barrow & Furness constituency.
What will you and your party do to look at second homes in tourism hotspots, which are stopping local people getting on the property ladder?
Adrian Waite, Liberal Democrats
Everyone agrees that there is a housing crisis.
I work as a housing consultant and was chair of Impact Housing Association that provided homes and services across Cumbria and North Lancashire.
One of the reasons why there is a shortage of affordable homes in many parts of Cumbria, is the fact that many homes are being used as second homes or holiday lets.
This means that homes are in short supply and house prices and rents increase. It also means that communities lose permanent residents and therefore lose essential services.
I am not against people having second homes or holiday lets but I think their number should not be allowed to increase to the level where they affect the viability of communities.
Therefore, we are committed to giving local authorities new powers to control second homes and short-term lets in their areas by:
- Allowing them to increase council tax by up to 500% where homes are being bought as second homes, with a stamp duty surcharge on overseas residents purchasing such properties.
- Creating a new planning class for these properties.
Barry Morgan, Reform UK
I’m still fresh from a couple of years sojourn in North Wales and Mid Wales where attempts to charge 150% council tax to second home owners have backfired big time, with owners selling out and prices rising exponentially, if that were possible!
My view is that councils in joint venture with housing associations should deploy innovative modular construction technology, along with smart infrastructure, health amenities and schooling, with developers offering shared ownerships to locals and their families.
Lisa Morgan, Party of Women
Women are more likely to struggle to buy a home due to their generally lower wages so cheaper properties need to be secured and available for these residents.
