Leeds hosted a major national summit on council housing, bringing together political leaders, senior local authority officers and housing figures to discuss the future of the sector.
The 2026 Securing the Future of Council Housing Summit, held at Leeds City Museum and the Carriageworks Theatre, brought together around 200 representatives from central government, councils, charities and other key organisations. Organised by Leeds City Council in partnership with Southwark Council and Sheffield City Council, the one-day event focused on how council housing can be placed on a firmer long-term financial footing while meeting growing demand for safe, affordable homes.
The programme featured speeches in Brodrick Hall from Leeds City Council leader Councillor James Lewis, Southwark Council leader Councillor Sarah King and Sheffield City Council leader Councillor Tom Hunt.
A keynote address was delivered remotely by Housing Secretary Steve Reed, who highlighted recent Government housing policy announcements, including plans for a new Decent Homes Standard. He also pointed to the opening last month of bidding for grants from the £39 billion Social and Affordable Housing Programme.
The Rt Hon Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government said:
“Council housing provides thousands of families with a safe affordable home, but previous governments created a shortage by failing to build more.
“We are backing councils to get building again, with an historic £39bn investment for new homes and reforms to stop newly built council homes being sold off. This means councils can now build at a scale not seen for years.
“I’m looking forward to working with the council housing coalition to build the next generation of council homes the people of this country need.”
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council said:
“As one of the largest housing stock-holding local authorities in the country, we are under no illusions about the financial pressures being faced by councils as they work to maintain and provide high-quality homes for the communities they serve.
“Progress is being made but it’s clear that more has to be done to give local authorities the resources they need to perform this vital role as effectively as possible.
“We’re pleased and proud, therefore, that Leeds is hosting today’s Securing the Future of Council Housing Summit. The event will play a crucial part in drawing renewed national attention to councils’ housing finance challenges and identifying ways in which our collective issues can be solved.”
Councillor Sarah King, leader of Southwark Council said:
“Good council homes change lives and it’s vital future generations benefit from them like the countless millions who already have.
“After years of neglect at the national level we’ve seen major steps including limits to right-to-buy – which has led to the loss of so many council homes – and a rent settlement to pay for investment and new homes.
“But we know more is needed – especially fixing the broken council house finance settlement. We will keep working with government to secure decent homes for all.”
Councillor Tom Hunt, leader of Sheffield City Council said:
“Councils are playing a major role in tackling the housing crisis, driving forward regeneration and building the homes we need.
“The Government has taken significant and positive steps to support councils to improve the quality and quantity of council housing and we’ll continue to work collaboratively to make sure that local councils shape national decision-making.
“This summit has shown that councils are playing a leading role in developing the homes that our communities need. Working with residents, we will ensure that the voices of council housing residents play a central role in shaping the future of council housing.”
Alongside the main speeches, delegates took part in breakout sessions on issues including putting residents first, fixing council housing finances and regeneration that works for everyone. Speakers and panellists included Alicia Walker of Shelter, Dilys Jones of Homes England and Nic Bliss of Stop Social Housing Stigma.
The Leeds event was the third summit of its kind, following earlier gatherings hosted by Southwark in 2024 and Sheffield in 2025. Those meetings were designed to build momentum behind the recommendations of the 2024 report Securing the Future of Council Housing, which was co-ordinated by Southwark and backed by a cross-party coalition of more than 100 local authorities. A central demand of that report was the creation of a new and sustainable funding model for council housing, with supporters arguing reform is needed as soon as possible.
This year’s summit aimed to restate shared policy priorities, agree a stronger strategic campaigning approach for the year ahead, equip councils with the tools and data needed to influence national decision-making and explore ways of amplifying the voices of council housing residents.
With councils across the country facing mounting pressure on housing budgets and rising demand for affordable homes, delegates said the Leeds summit marked an important opportunity to push for lasting change and lay the groundwork for a new era of council housing growth.
