LLC Motion (2007)
This Conference is concerned
- at the growing number of adults who cannot afford to buy a home because of the ever-increasing rises in house and flat prices - particularly low paid public sector workers some of whom are paid only the minimum wage;
- at the number of unused and underused brownfield sites that are kept out of use and thereby create an artificial shortage of sites that are needed for homes, jobs and services;
- at the rise in land prices that are affected by the announcement of events such as the 2012 Olympics whilst, at the same time, there is a call for increased taxes to pay for the facilities and public transport systems that, once built, will add to the already inflated land prices;
- a failure of our tax system whereby we have unfair and often avoidable or evadable taxes on wages and profits yet which ignores the unearned income that goes to landowners and
- at the desire of this Government and developers to encourage new homes to be built on greenfield sites in places that mean long distance commuting by car which further adds to the already damaged environment and road deaths and injuries.
This Conference recognises
- that all land values are created through the social and economic activities of everyone in society;
- that tenants (residential and commercial) get no return from the increases in land values that they too help to create;
- that the unearned income that arises from land values goes to landowners and is not shared fairly with all who create them;
- that there is no real incentive for landowners to bring sites into full use, according to their optimum permitted use, and which encourages land speculation and greed.
This Conference calls on the National Executive Committee to engage with the Government to get them to explore positive policies that will
- bring about a more efficient use of all land;
- reduce the negative effects of long-distance commuting on the environment and people’s safety;
- capture at least some of the land value that the whole of society creates through its economic and social activities;
- use this income to reduce inefficient, unfair and avoidable taxes and
- encourage the creation and development of new and existing businesses; new homes; encourage refurbishment of rundown homes.