Tories target council 'ghettos'

Mr Dorrell says ownership will increase pride in neighbourhoods

Council and housing association tenants could get state aid to help buy a home and so break up "ghettos", a Tory policy group has suggested.

The Public Services Improvement Policy Group also wants smaller schools, to end the right of excluded pupils to appeal and more power for headteachers.

The plans are not binding on David Cameron but will be considered in the run-up to the next general election.

Housing Minister Ian Wright dismissed the proposals as an "uncosted gimmick".

Under the proposals, council and housing association tenants would be offered a 10% equity share in their home if they were a good tenant for at least five years.

Neighbourhood pride

If they left the social rented sector, they would receive the share as a cash payment towards their first property.

But if they remained tenants, the policy group believes the equity share would encourage them to take greater care and show more pride in their neighbourhood.

KEY POINTS: State aid for council tenants to help them buy their homes National fund to provide affordable housing where needed Smaller schools More power to head teachers Tougher restrictions on excluded pupils Anonymity for teachers faced with allegations Abolish AS levels 'Health miles' incentives to adopt healthier lifestyle Remove licences from shops prosecuted for selling alcohol and tobacco to minors Consult on raising the legal age for smoking to 18 Less political interference in running of NHS Tories urged not to lose 'soul' Tories propose smaller schools

The Public Services Improvement Policy Group, co-chaired by former health secretary Stephen Dorrell and ex-chief inspector of schools Baroness Perry, includes proposals on education and health.

The report states: "The objective of an incoming Conservative government's social housing policy should be to encourage greater social mobility and to transform the dead-end 'ghettos' that typify some of our council housing estates today.

"Increased mobility within social housing can help more people on to the housing ladder; can help to create mixed-tenure neighbourhoods; and can help to free up social housing stock to meet demand and to address some of the overcrowding that currently exists."

Tenants often face "a vicious cycle of deprivation and corresponding poor educational attainment and ill health", the report says.

The group said the 10% payment would be worth as much as £20,000 in many cases.

Summer schools

But Mr Wright said: "This is another uncosted gimmick which the Tories have no idea how to deliver.

"If they were serious about backing home ownership they would stop blocking much needed new homes across the country."

The report calls for a national fund to target public money into local schemes that provide sustainable and affordable rented housing in areas where it is needed.

The sense of being part of a smaller community where people do know who you are ... makes a huge difference Baroness Perry

It also suggests an "NHS health miles card", a scheme which would see reward points being given for giving up smoking and losing weight - which could be redeemed against fresh vegetables or reduced gym membership.

The group - one of six policy reviews - says primary school pupils who fall behind should attend summer schools or re-sit their final year.

Teachers accused of misconduct - such as sexual or violent behaviour - should remain anonymous until a case against them is proved, rather than have their lives ruined.

Heads should have an absolute right to exclude disruptive pupils.

The group also believes that discipline can be improved by having smaller schools and scrapping the AS level.

Baroness Perry said experiments in the US showed that where big schools have been broken down into smaller ones, truancy rates have dropped, while performance and discipline have improved.

"It's a sense of belonging more than anything else which children lack in very large schools," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"They feel that nobody knows them and if you are not known you can get away with anything.

"The sense of being part of a smaller community where people do know who you are ... makes a huge difference."