And Grant Shapps happily slapped away criticisms that councils in the North were being unfairly treated under the scheme saying three of the top five councils benefiting most are in the North or Midlands.

His geography may have been correct when reading from the list of the biggest lumps of money allocated. Sadly he appears to have revealed either his ineptitude with statistics or his willingness to abuse their meaning.

Let鈥檚 have a look at Gateshead.

Why?

Well, people I have spoken to seem to think that the good folk of Gateshead have been rather positive when it comes to planning and regeneration.

And certainly the outward image of Gateshead is one that appears exceptionally planning friendly.

Statements like are unlikely to ring from nimby boroughs.

Nor phrases like:

But in the New Homes Bonus race Gateshead will receive 36p per head of population against the average of 拢2.74, if my rather rapid calculations are correct.

And just to make the whole thing seem a little more surreal the biggest winner on a per capita basis appears to be the City of London at 拢28.51 per head.

Indeed, if we look at the winners and losers on a per capita basis we find that Salford is the only northern council in the top 10, in fact the only one outside the South East.

The more I look at it the more I am of the mind that there is no way you can suggest the New Homes Bonus is fair and consistent with rewarding good planning performance and be within 180 degrees of the truth.

As I have mused many times before, this is not actually a bonus (ultimately it is an incentive that reallocates funds 鈥 so is as much a penalty as a bonus) and it is not about building new homes (it is about increasing housing stock).

In places like Gateshead the issue is about the right homes in the right place. This may mean knocking down homes to build more appropriate accommodation. Sadly knocking down decrepit homes does you no favours at all under the New Homes Bonus regime.

In this light what are we to make of this statement reported in yesterday鈥檚 Hansard.

: It may have escaped the attention of Opposition Members that the new homes bonus rewards the authorities that build homes. That is why it is called the new homes bonus. Of the five areas that are building the most homes 鈥 the five top councils to receive the new homes bonus 鈥 three of them are in the midlands or the north.

For those that are interested, below I have done some rough calculations based on the number of people estimated for each council taken from the 2010 sub-national population projections used in the in the 2010-11 headline allocations for formula grant. This is a simple 拢 per head of the New Homes Bonus grant determination for 2011-12.
This allocation of funds takes no account of the fact that when the New Homes Bonus is in full flow the 鈥漛onus鈥 will be drawn from the formula funding, which will disproportionately be taken from northern boroughs and London, if I did some months ago remain true.

 

 
New Homes Bonus (拢)
拢 per head
Number of people
City of London
242,908
28.51
8,521
Islington
3,706,471
19.78
187,360
Tower Hamlets
4,287,276
19.08
224,648
Hackney
2,331,376
11.11
209,868
Milton Keynes UA
2,513,998
10.77
233,417
Uttlesford
714,365
9.96
71,741
Southwark
2,590,116
9.63
269,067
Salford
2,016,347
9.35
215,667
Forest Heath
562,383
9.02
62,351
Basingstoke & Deane
1,324,978
8.16
162,446
Swindon UA
1,451,214
7.73
187,756
Corby
415,135
7.57
54,844
Hillingdon
1,848,758
7.33
252,112
Lambeth
1,972,531
7.25
271,971
Camden
1,767,042
7.11
248,559
Gloucester
781,912
6.84
114,307
Bedford UA
1,087,251
6.64
163,644
Peterborough UA
1,112,997
6.62
168,078
Cambridge
786,646
6.54
120,335
Tewkesbury
526,818
6.51
80,972
South Norfolk
787,157
6.47
121,630
Croydon
2,201,847
6.46
340,902
Hounslow
1,362,781
6.36
214,285
Newham
1,580,423
6.13
257,954
West Devon
323,920
6.12
52,916
South Cambridgeshire
868,649
6.12
141,906
Westminster
1,638,472
6.10
268,569
Maidstone
892,316
6.09
146,580
Shropshire UA
1,791,669
6.06
295,640
Harborough
507,757
5.95
85,408
Bracknell Forest UA
646,849
5.78
111,841
Tonbridge & Malling
648,353
5.59
116,056
Manchester
2,616,342
5.57
469,337
Swale
749,034
5.55
134,872
Malvern Hills
409,762
5.50
74,502
Bristol
2,281,004
5.49
415,359
North Somerset UA
1,145,139
5.46
209,620
Bradford
2,760,424
5.42
509,486
Selby
445,327
5.41
82,289
Sedgemoor
624,174
5.40
115,521
South Bucks
346,180
5.31
65,218
Ashford
621,103
5.28
117,613
Runnymede
430,103
5.28
81,532
Watford
419,613
5.22
80,458
Norwich
674,706
5.18
130,135
Lincoln
453,642
5.14
88,261
Hammersmith & Fulham
909,107
5.10
178,341
West Lindsey
462,341
5.08
91,055
South Kesteven
665,623
4.98
133,576
Redbridge
1,285,543
4.97
258,869
Leicester UA
1,410,116
4.95
285,148
Huntingdonshire
831,677
4.82
172,562
Crawley
477,309
4.80
99,421
Rugby
434,964
4.73
92,037
Stoke-on-Trent UA
1,105,641
4.69
235,678
Aylesbury Vale
810,441
4.67
173,694
North Kesteven
521,829
4.64
112,371
East Cambridgeshire
380,082
4.55
83,476
Reading UA
639,334
4.55
140,561
Coventry
1,372,696
4.52
303,778
Mendip
504,175
4.51
111,760
Solihull
925,418
4.50
205,691
Barnet
1,517,737
4.47
339,858
Northampton
878,116
4.43
197,999
Winchester
495,220
4.42
111,954
Windsor & Maidenhead UA
617,745
4.40
140,291
Worcester
406,308
4.36
93,276
North Hertfordshire
552,405
4.35
127,101
Mid Suffolk
408,611
4.34
94,210
Haringey
955,962
4.32
221,105
Central Bedfordshire UA
1,120,673
4.30
260,597
Barking & Dagenham
719,290
4.29
167,731
Rother
384,943
4.27
90,163
Nottingham UA
1,215,981
4.24
286,458
Derby UA
1,004,576
4.21
238,736
Rushmoor
359,101
4.18
85,895
Bournemouth UA
671,476
4.13
162,492
Colchester
723,832
4.11
176,233
Craven
229,124
4.07
56,297
South Derbyshire
382,769
4.03
94,970
Medway UA
1,040,716
4.02
258,795
South Holland
354,880
3.99
88,840
Greenwich
923,819
3.99
231,427
Charnwood
644,387
3.99
161,618
Stockton-on-Tees UA
771,262
3.99
193,521
Ryedale
214,540
3.95
54,252
Wiltshire UA
1,841,402
3.95
465,945
East Northamptonshire
355,008
3.93
90,236
Brent
1,065,343
3.92
271,639
Slough UA
453,994
3.88
116,970
Thanet
508,780
3.83
132,853
Torridge
260,467
3.80
68,570
Vale of White Horse
451,595
3.78
119,318
Wandsworth
1,081,014
3.78
285,732
Wokingham UA
580,965
3.76
154,372
Sheffield
1,957,819
3.74
522,946
Poole UA
505,966
3.74
135,397
Kettering
342,982
3.71
92,497
South Somerset
601,146
3.71
162,242
Ashfield
437,395
3.69
118,674
Ealing
1,120,353
3.68
304,045
Eastleigh
443,536
3.68
120,514
Wakefield
1,198,710
3.66
327,469
Cornwall UA
1,997,957
3.65
546,860
Telford & Wrekin UA
615,027
3.65
168,426
Leeds
2,732,599
3.63
753,398
Walsall
911,506
3.60
253,435
Calderdale
724,567
3.60
201,483
York UA
714,173
3.59
198,805
East Lindsey
529,377
3.58
147,869
Hambleton
315,221
3.56
88,463
Shepway
372,278
3.55
104,790
West Dorset
352,833
3.55
99,375
South Hams
297,567
3.54
83,973
Wealden
522,341
3.52
148,267
Brentwood
254,966
3.52
72,402
Breckland
471,169
3.52
133,991
Fylde
278,633
3.49
79,878
Test Valley
409,762
3.48
117,667
Taunton Deane
391,980
3.46
113,205
Braintree
509,036
3.45
147,395
Middlesbrough UA
461,350
3.45
133,628
Warrington UA
670,517
3.44
194,723
Richmond upon Thames
642,532
3.43
187,162
Southampton UA
793,010
3.42
231,597
Chichester
382,896
3.41
112,423
East Staffordshire
381,233
3.40
112,155
Rutland UA
131,609
3.39
38,797
Teignbridge
442,256
3.39
130,391
Ipswich
416,286
3.39
122,875
Woking
310,360
3.39
91,658
Bath & North East Somerset
611,349
3.38
180,673
Plymouth UA
832,349
3.36
247,574
Newark & Sherwood
389,805
3.36
116,030
North Norfolk
349,762
3.36
104,196
Erewash
377,012
3.36
112,355
Isle of Wight UA
484,537
3.35
144,461
West Oxfordshire
342,342
3.35
102,085
Melton
168,868
3.34
50,553
South Gloucestershire UA
883,361
3.33
264,913
Arun
508,908
3.33
152,787
Hinckley & Bosworth
349,762
3.33
105,164
Elmbridge
452,619
3.31
136,604
Babergh
295,392
3.31
89,257
Bromley
993,382
3.29
301,812
Broxbourne
296,415
3.28
90,395
Kensington & Chelsea
673,395
3.27
205,800
Exeter
389,165
3.26
119,326
North Dorset
225,286
3.25
69,283
Herefordshire UA
590,720
3.25
181,888
Kingston upon Thames
516,680
3.22
160,444
Luton UA
596,477
3.22
185,510
North Devon
306,778
3.20
95,790
Wellingborough
244,987
3.18
77,103
Blackpool UA
466,147
3.16
147,305
North Lincolnshire UA
518,919
3.16
164,359
Hertsmere
305,115
3.15
96,968
Birmingham
3,202,265
3.14
1,019,014
Harrow
678,832
3.14
216,233
Kirklees
1,273,870
3.13
407,167
Reigate & Banstead
409,122
3.12
130,966
Stroud
349,635
3.12
112,052
East Riding of Yorkshire UA
1,086,291
3.11
348,967
Barnsley
698,661
3.09
226,439
Northumberland UA
961,719
3.08
312,572
Fenland
290,147
3.06
94,708
Kings Lynn & West Norfolk
451,595
3.06
147,481
East Hertfordshire
415,263
3.06
135,806
Oxford
472,960
3.04
155,678
Cherwell
439,186
3.03
144,788
Wychavon
361,276
3.02
119,757
Wycombe
484,473
3.01
160,842
Gedling
339,784
3.01
112,850
Maldon
193,175
3.00
64,396
Hartlepool UA
277,130
2.98
92,935
Harlow
231,938
2.98
77,917
Waltham Forest
643,012
2.95
218,255
Tameside
637,894
2.95
216,524
Trafford
625,261
2.92
214,010
Halton UA
347,332
2.92
119,024
Wigan
884,001
2.87
308,054
St Albans
391,468
2.87
136,455
Horsham
378,803
2.86
132,361
Tandridge
234,241
2.85
82,250
Castle Point
254,710
2.85
89,509
Canterbury
440,593
2.85
154,856
Bolton
759,269
2.84
267,027
Cotswold
240,382
2.83
84,935
Great Yarmouth
274,155
2.82
97,291
Mid Sussex
359,997
2.81
128,185
Chorley
301,916
2.81
107,624
Lewisham
705,698
2.80
251,747
East Hampshire
306,266
2.75
111,202
Merton
551,861
2.75
200,670
Darlington UA
274,411
2.75
99,962
West Berkshire UA
401,862
2.74
146,717
Weymouth & Portland
180,638
2.71
66,755
Worthing
273,132
2.69
101,368
Lichfield
260,723
2.68
97,230
Waverley
311,255
2.66
117,106
Dover
294,113
2.65
110,984
Dartford
239,102
2.64
90,634
Wyre Forest
258,420
2.64
98,022
Cheltenham
290,275
2.62
110,766
Durham UA
1,299,616
2.62
496,978
North Tyneside
516,840
2.61
197,922
Spelthorne
230,275
2.59
88,915
Mid Devon
202,514
2.59
78,269
St Edmundsbury
267,503
2.57
104,069
Rushcliffe
281,831
2.52
111,715
West Somerset
91,342
2.52
36,247
Sevenoaks
282,343
2.49
113,466
Bassetlaw
285,669
2.47
115,695
Tunbridge Wells
258,932
2.45
105,508
Boston
152,110
2.45
62,009
North West Leicestershire
226,821
2.42
93,777
Derbyshire Dales
169,252
2.41
70,324
North East Lincolnshire UA
383,312
2.40
159,913
South Staffordshire
252,279
2.39
105,777
Cheshire East UA
869,769
2.38
365,167
Epping Forest
295,136
2.37
124,473
Brighton and Hove
595,997
2.34
254,430
Wyre
271,597
2.33
116,585
Carlisle
243,452
2.32
104,856
Dacorum
324,944
2.32
140,046
New Forest
408,227
2.30
177,755
East Devon
310,872
2.27
136,969
Barrow-in-Furness
157,866
2.22
71,253
Hastings
194,710
2.20
88,435
Sandwell
634,536
2.19
289,345
Lewes
211,341
2.19
96,661
Staffordshire Moorlands
209,039
2.18
95,823
Torbay UA
305,115
2.16
140,985
Purbeck
97,739
2.14
45,613
Gravesham
207,504
2.13
97,291
Newcastle-under-Lyme
263,921
2.10
125,530
Sunderland
576,967
2.09
275,842
Welwyn Hatfield
221,832
2.09
106,325
Warwick
292,450
2.08
140,283
Mansfield
207,120
2.08
99,508
Tamworth
156,075
2.07
75,390
Redditch
164,263
2.06
79,602
Fareham
226,565
2.04
110,798
Liverpool
876,965
2.04
430,044
Daventry
169,764
2.04
83,270
Forest of Dean
168,357
2.02
83,346
South Oxfordshire
259,699
2.01
129,198
Rotherham
508,364
1.98
257,022
South Northamptonshire
182,941
1.97
92,949
Christchurch
89,935
1.97
45,749
St Helens
343,974
1.93
178,251
Wolverhampton
443,760
1.89
234,684
Eastbourne
187,290
1.86
100,475
Tendring
282,983
1.85
152,579
Chelmsford
309,592
1.85
167,100
Enfield
527,714
1.83
288,224
Stratford-on-Avon
217,738
1.82
119,644
Dudley
545,784
1.79
305,477
Stafford
222,216
1.78
125,148
Kingston upon Hull UA
444,559
1.75
253,450
Havering
396,745
1.74
227,727
Newcastle upon Tyne
455,753
1.73
263,924
Mole Valley
139,956
1.72
81,441
Harrogate
272,620
1.69
161,105
Broxtowe
190,873
1.69
112,875
Sutton
310,232
1.67
185,395
Portsmouth UA
333,899
1.67
199,694
Amber Valley
204,689
1.67
122,610
Suffolk Coastal
207,887
1.66
125,514
North East Derbyshire
162,344
1.65
98,595
Waveney
200,851
1.65
122,059
Blaby
154,412
1.64
94,250
Bexley
359,005
1.60
224,384
Cannock Chase
153,261
1.59
96,391
Rochdale
334,699
1.58
211,959
West Lancashire
174,242
1.57
110,962
Lancaster
231,427
1.56
148,487
Thurrock UA
235,552
1.55
152,046
Rossendale
102,472
1.54
66,596
Bolsover
117,312
1.53
76,923
Epsom and Ewell
107,846
1.52
70,792
South Ribble
165,158
1.52
108,885
Broadland
187,674
1.48
127,125
North Warwickshire
91,087
1.46
62,454
Sefton
405,860
1.46
278,530
East Dorset
124,860
1.42
88,178
Rochford
116,801
1.41
82,594
Bury
253,623
1.38
183,778
Doncaster
403,301
1.38
292,419
Nuneaton & Bedworth
167,589
1.37
122,165
Bromsgrove
124,988
1.33
93,749
Southend-on-Sea UA
210,606
1.31
160,397
Eden
70,490
1.30
54,093
Cambridgeshire
789,300
1.29
612,987
Oadby & Wigston
73,176
1.27
57,647
Chesterfield
126,907
1.25
101,416
Oldham
257,780
1.17
220,664
Stockport
322,225
1.14
281,532
Pendle
101,065
1.11
90,692
Lincolnshire
784,951
1.08
723,981
South Tyneside
158,314
1.07
148,152
Havant
124,477
1.06
117,770
Stevenage
84,562
1.04
80,961
Somerset
553,204
1.03
538,975
Adur
62,430
1.02
61,088
Guildford
137,525
1.02
134,881
Ribble Valley
62,046
1.01
61,378
Gloucestershire
589,345
1.01
586,378
Cheshire West and Chester UA
326,383
0.98
332,213
Kent
1,378,613
0.97
1,425,503
Northamptonshire
647,233
0.94
688,898
Norfolk
799,055
0.93
861,849
Redcar & Cleveland UA
125,692
0.90
139,474
Basildon
153,517
0.89
171,974
Allerdale
84,178
0.89
95,059
Buckinghamshire
417,662
0.85
489,628
Surrey Heath
69,338
0.83
83,052
Devon
633,385
0.83
766,204
Wirral
260,019
0.83
315,001
Leicestershire
531,296
0.82
648,417
Suffolk
589,728
0.82
720,335
Richmondshire
45,160
0.81
55,598
Burnley
69,722
0.81
86,550
Hampshire
1,024,533
0.80
1,287,129
West Sussex
610,869
0.78
787,633
Worcestershire
431,254
0.77
558,908
Blackburn with Darwen UA
110,500
0.77
143,647
Three Rivers
67,931
0.76
89,142
Hyndburn
62,942
0.76
83,011
Oxfordshire
491,446
0.75
651,067
Essex
1,010,013
0.72
1,398,313
East Sussex
375,157
0.72
524,001
Hertfordshire
769,887
0.71
1,083,657
Nottinghamshire
533,119
0.68
787,347
Dorset
267,823
0.65
414,953
Surrey
708,160
0.64
1,099,197
North Yorkshire
381,969
0.63
609,061
Staffordshire
474,687
0.57
833,444
Warwickshire
300,957
0.56
536,583
Derbyshire
385,071
0.50
769,759
Lancashire
464,868
0.39
1,193,152
Knowsley
57,569
0.38
150,145
Gateshead
68,283
0.36
188,181
Chiltern
29,552
0.33
89,874
Cumbria
149,199
0.30
503,008
Preston
38,251
0.29
132,504
South Lakeland
25,842
0.24
108,319
Copeland
14,968
0.22
69,428
Scarborough
5,885
0.05
111,057
Gosport
-
 
78,739
Hart
-
 
92,389
High Peak
-
 
92,566
Isles of Scilly
-
 
2,264