Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council will need ‘some money’ to reach the new government’s house building targets, a senior councillor has said.

In her first speech as chancellor, Rachel Reeves pledged that the new Labour government will build 1.5 million homes over the next five years including council houses, in a bid to solve the housing crisis.

Councillor Sarah Allen, RMBC’s cabinet member for housing, told a meeting yesterday (July 9) that the authority is ‘just not going to be able to reach targets at that sort of level’ unless the government helps to fund the project.

“That’s a whacking great target,” added Coun Allen.

Labour will build 1.5 million homes over the next five years.

placeholder image — Labour will build 1.5 million homes over the next five years.

“The maximum number of houses that we’ve been able to build has been around the 450, 500 mark.

“If that 1.5 million target gets shared out, they’re going to have to give us some money to do it with, otherwise we are just not going to be able to reach targets at that sort of level..