Housing: Warrington

Helen Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what occasions representatives of the Government Office for the North West (GONW) have met representatives of Warrington Borough Council to discuss future housing plans; who was present at each of these meetings; and what attempts have been made by GONW to discuss these issues with hon. Members representing the borough.

Yvette Cooper
[holding answer 10 December 2007]: Representatives from Government Office for the North West (GONW) are in regular dialogue with local authorities regarding housing issues in the region.

The GONW Housing Intervention team facilitates and attends various regional and sub-regional working groups to which local authorities are invited to field representatives. However, they have not had one to one meetings with Warrington borough council (BC) on specific housing related issues.

Jo Lappin, Deputy Regional Director, Housing, Planning and Transport, has met with representatives from Warrington BC on a number of occasions since April 2007 as detailed in the following list, during these discussions the issue of housing in the borough was raised.

Thursday 12 April—meeting with Diana Terris, Chief Executive

Monday 12 November—meeting with Diana Terris, Chief Executive

Friday 16 November—meeting with Andy Farrall, Strategic Director for Environment and Regeneration

A meeting was also held with the North West Regional Minister on Monday 19 November to discuss economic growth in Warrington, during which housing was raised, attendees were as follows:

Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP, North West Regional Minister

Jo Hawley, Private Secretary to Beverley Hughes MP

Jo Lappin, Deputy Regional Director, Housing, Planning and Transport, GONW

Diana Terris, Chief Executive of Warrington Borough Council (WBC)

Cllr lan Marks, Leader of WBC (Lib Dem)

Cllr Keith Bland, Deputy Leader of WBC (Conservative)

Dr Robert Barr, Executive Member of WBC, Planning and Regeneration

Cllr Terry O'Neil, Leader of the Labour Group at WBC (Labour)

Andy Farrall, Strategic Director for Environment and Regeneration

Peter Crompton, Director, BE Group

Paul Hafren, Principal, Warrington Collegiate Institute

Mike Ralph, Planning Director, Modus Properties

Alan Charters, Construction Director, Miller Developments

In response to requests, GONW has organised an informal briefing session in the House, to which all hon. Members in relevant constituencies have been invited to attend.