National Summit Addresses Future of Council Housing

March 10, 2026 Off By

Leeds hosts key event on council housing growth and finance

Leeds City Council hosted the 2026 Securing the Future of Council Housing Summit, bringing together around 200 representatives from local authorities, central government, charities, and other stakeholders. The one-day event, held at Leeds City Museum and the Carriageworks Theatre, focused on the challenges and opportunities facing council housing across the UK, with particular attention to financial sustainability and long-term growth.

Summit aims and participants

The summit was organised in partnership with Southwark Council and Sheffield City Council, following previous events hosted by these authorities in 2024 and 2025. It sought to build on the 2024 report Securing the Future of Council Housing, which was supported by over 100 local authorities in a cross-party coalition. The report called for a new sustainable funding model for council housing, a key issue addressed during the summit.

Speakers included Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council; Councillor Sarah King, leader of Southwark Council; and Councillor Tom Hunt, leader of Sheffield City Council. The keynote speech was delivered remotely by the Rt Hon Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Key themes and discussions

The summit featured interactive workshops and breakout sessions focusing on topics such as:

Putting residents first
Fixing council housing finances
Regeneration that works for everyone

Panel members included representatives from Shelter, Homes England, and Stop Social Housing Stigma. The event also aimed to develop strategic campaigning approaches, provide councils with data and messaging tools, and explore ways to amplify the voices of council housing residents.

Government and council leaders’ statements

The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed, highlighted recent government initiatives including a new Decent Homes Standard and a £39 billion Social and Affordable Housing Programme. He emphasised the government’s commitment to supporting councils to build more homes and reform policies to prevent the sale of newly built council homes.

Councillor James Lewis noted the financial pressures on local authorities managing large housing stocks and expressed the importance of the summit in raising national awareness of these challenges.

Councillor Sarah King stressed the need to fix the council housing finance settlement and build on recent policy changes such as limits to right-to-buy and rent settlements.

Councillor Tom Hunt highlighted councils’ role in addressing the housing crisis and the importance of involving residents in shaping future housing policies.