Gavin Barwell MP appointed Housing and Planning Minister
Theresa May has appointed Croydon MP Gavin Barwell as new Minister of State for Housing & Planning and Minister for London as part of the government reshuffle, he replaces Brandon Lewis who has served as housing minister since July 2014. Mr Barwell will be working with Sadiq Khan the recently elected Mayor of London and the leaders of London councils.
He stated on his website following the appointment just two days ago:
‘Every MP will tell you that housing is one of the most common issues they deal with in their surgeries.
‘Too many people are having to live in overcrowded or even unsafe conditions. Too many people don’t have a permanent place to call home. Too many people are having to pay too much of their monthly earnings on their housing costs. And – as the Prime Minister said in her moving speech outside Downing Street on Wednesday night – too many people who want the independence of owning their own home currently can’t afford to do so.
‘I look forward to working with councils, housing associations, developers, investors and local communities to make sure we build we need with the mix of tenures that people want and that those homes should be great places to live.
‘And in addition to my national responsibilities for housing and the planning system, I look forward to working with Sadiq Khan and the leaders of London councils to ensure the continued success of our wonderful, diverse capital – and to make sure that all Londoners share in that success.
‘But whatever roles the Prime Minister asks me to undertake, my first job is still Member of Parliament for Croydon Central. I will continue to serve you to the best of my ability and try to pay back the faith you put in me just over a year ago’.