Housing

For quite a few years the Govt has (pretty much) imposed house building quotas on unelected regional assemblies (that cost the taxpayer a fortune); these then get foisted on elected local govt, and anger or upset residents.

Today I read that there are 960,000 empty houses (mostly rural) on which VAT would be due if renovations are done (whereas new builds are VAT free). Where's the sanity in keeping nearly a million homes empty and building more instead. Let whatever money is swishing around help fix these homes, and if jobs need to move out (or more telecommuting) then let it. Rural communities have taken quite a battering from Nouveau Labour over the years, I don't suppose they'll change, but...