West Midlands mayor on the hunt for housing task force members

Richard Parker, mayor of the West Midlands, is looking for six members to join his new housing task force. The task force will help deliver his ambitious Homes for Everyone initiative, focusing on the delivery of 20,000 new social homes over the next decade. In an interview with EG earlier this year, Parker said that prior to being elected he ran on a pledge to deliver a minimum of 2,000 council and social homes a year by 2028, with a target of 20,000 by 2030.  The recruitment drive comes as the number of people on the region’s housing waiting list tops 64,000, with more than 6,500 households, including nearly 13,000 children, living in temporary accommodation. The housing task force is one of four being set up as part of a Council of Experts to help shape and deliver the mayor’s four key priorities, which also include Growth for Everyone, Jobs for Everyone and Journeys for Everyone. The task forces will bring together expertise from across the region to make sure the priorities deliver real results. The recruitment campaign is targeting people from businesses, universities, colleges, the health sector, think tanks, skills and training organisations, trade unions, and the voluntary and community sectors. Each task force will not only offer expert advice but also challenge current policies and put forward innovative, community-driven solutions to tackle the region’s biggest challenges. Parker said: “My mission is simple: real jobs, affordable homes and better public transport for the people of the West Midlands. “We need to act fast, and I want the best minds around the table to help make that happen. The West Midlands is full of talent, innovation and creativity, and I’m looking for people who care as much as I do about building a better future for our communities. Together, we can make a real, lasting difference.” Photo © West Midlands Combined Authority