The decision in the budget that the Thames Valley will have its own mayor is a welcome step in the right direction. Clearly there is will be a lot of detail to work out. That is all for another day. But there is one immediate and major concern. It is the intention, understandably to focus on social housing. The reason for concern is a spatial one. Local residents do not like housing at all, regardless of whether it is social or market. So the first issue must be to decide where in the Thames Valley at scale housing is to go, irrespective of its tenure, for the next generation. In other words spatial decisions come first, and tenure issues come second, if Thames Valley residents good will is to be won and then retained. If this s sequencing is avoided as being too difficult the risk is that the mayor will not be able to make the tough spatial decisions that must be made. In which case the MSA will be another empty gesture.
Otherwise a big hurrah to the chancellor and an even bigger one to the Thames Valley councils for working together. This step is massive and could be transformative.
Ian Campbell
