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Issue:- Monday, 18 April 2016

Headlines and reports on this page = 2 news items. Page - 2.

1st time buyers in the North West will need Ł44,000 salary to afford an average home by 2020

TYPICAL 1st time buyers will need to earn Ł44k a year by 2020, new research by housing and homelessness charity Shelter shows. This is more than 15% the Ł38k needed for a typical 1st time buyer's mortgage today. Do you agree with this statement? if you do please let us know by emailing us to:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

On top of this they would need a typical deposit of Ł25,000 to keep up with rocketing house prices in the region, which are projected to rise to Ł165,000 over the next 4 years.

The research looked at the salary and deposit needed for the average 1st time buyer today, and calculated what they would be in 2020 if they grew in line with projected increases in house prices.

These figures come as no surprise given that, over the last 5 years, the region's severe housing shortage has seen house prices rise 3 times faster than wages.

As the Government's Housing Bill passes through the House of Lords, Shelter is warning that, unless the government commits to building homes that people on ordinary incomes can actually afford, the situation is only likely to get worse.

Campbell Robb, Shelter's Chief Executive, said:- "When house prices are increasing three times faster than the average wage, it's no wonder people on ordinary incomes are being locked out of a home of their own. With the situation only set to get worse, Generation Rent will be forced to resign themselves to a life in expensive, unstable private renting, and wave goodbye to their dreams of a home to put down roots in. It doesn't have to be like this. The Government has the power to turn our housing crisis around, but only if they stop with schemes like Starter Homes which only help higher earners, and start investing in homes that people on ordinary incomes can actually afford to live in."

Case Study:- Mike, a nurse, is currently renting and has had to move because of high housing costs. "On a nurse's salary and with house prices so high, I can't see how I'll ever own my own home. At the moment, it feels like nothing more than a pipe dream. I'm stuck renting and looking at moving away from where I currently live because rents have gone up so much as well. It just seems so unfair; if you work hard, you should be able to afford a place to call home."

New reports lay bare endemic use of insecure teaching contracts in Merseyside Universities and Colleges

LIVERPOOL School of Tropical Medicine, Edge Hill University and Southport College are amongst the UK's worst offenders for insecure employment of academic teaching staff, according to sister reports on precarious employment that has been published, on Friday, 15 April 2015, by the University and College Union (UCU).

according to The report on higher education finds that 62.4% teaching staff at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine are employed on an insecure contract, placing it 13th in a UK wide 'insecurity index' for precarious employment practices. Edge Hill University is also listed in 42nd place with 43.7% of teaching staff on insecure contracts. The Union's sister report on further education names Southport College in the top 50 worst offenders for insecure employment, with 44.8% of staff employed on non permanent contracts.

The reports state that, overall, 49% of teaching staff at UK Universities and 34% of teaching staff at UK Colleges are on insecure contracts. Anecdotal evidence backed up by research suggests that insecure contracts undermine teachers' ability to do a good job as they often have poor access to basic equipment and facilities, can only get their job done by putting in unpaid hours, and are constantly stressed about future availability of work.

In January, the Union wrote to all universities and colleges asking them to stop using 0 hours contracts and to work with UCU to review the use of all forms of non permanent contracts. The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Edge Hill University and Southport College all failed to respond to the letter.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said:- "The report shows there is a damaging 'hire and fire' 0 hours culture flourishing in our colleges and universities. The worst offenders such as the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine employ a significant majority of their teaching staff on insecure contracts, but many more institutions are relying far too heavily on them. We know that a teacher's ability to do a good job is compromised if they are on an insecure contract. We need colleges to engage in better workforce planning that gives staff stable jobs. Such a huge proportion of insecure contracts has real potential to undermine the future of high quality education at these institutions."

Do you work for these institutions or are you a representative of them? Please let us know your views via emailing our newsroom via:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

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Deceased estates notice - Lilian May Jackam

Pursuant to the Trustee Act 1925, any persons having a claim against or an interest in the Estate of Lilian May Jackam (also known as Lillian May) Jackam (Deceased), late of Birch Abbey Rest Home, 55 Alexandra Road, Southport, Merseyside, PR9 9HD, UK, who died on 04/10/2018, are required to send particulars thereof in writing, to the undersigned Solicitors, on or before 24/05/2019, after which date the Estate will be distributed having regard only to claims and interests of which they have had notice. Churches Solicitors, 12 High Street, Fareham, Hampshire, PO16 7BL, UK. Ref:- 'T553015.'

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