`AFFORDABLE HOMES ARE IN DIRE NEED`

 

Housing cuts that

hit the

needy

Just how serious is the housing crisis? And just how serious are the  building companies in efforts to solve it?

The questions are prompted by the plan by the Carlisle based Story Homes  to  build 40   new homes at Greystoke(Cumbria) and the spirited defence of the homeless and less well off people when that company decided to drastically reduce the number of affordable homes  planned in the scheme.

 Many people will applaud Dacre and Greystoke parish councils in telling Eden Council`s planning comittee that the reduction- from ten to four houses-  “made a mockery of the whole scheme and that local affordable housing is in dire need.”

Applause too for Councillors Debra Wicks and Roy Fisher for highlighting the exodus of young people from Cumbria and  the great need in the county for affordable housing.

The Greystoke scheme is not the first in which Story Homes has sought a big reduction in affordable  homes.

In January it was reported that the company sought to reduce  the number of affordable homes from 31 to 22 in the new Carlisle Road estate planned at Brampton.

Is this modus operandi  becoming the  norm with Story Homes?

It certainly is the norm with many other building companies thoughout the country. They make similar applications, pleading that their  schemes  become no longer viable if no affordable housing  reductions are made.

These reductions of course mean better profits for the builders, but  also, scandalously,  a continuous decline in the the number of affordable homes.

At the same time the housing crisis roars ahead, characterised in urban areas by the never-ending scandal of rough sleeping in the streets.

What can be done? No point in looking to our Tory government which has  long been ideologically opposed to any form of social housing and is of course  a friend of the big builders.

And those big builders- any help from them?

Many of them have a second scandalous record:  grossly excessive profits, beefed up by various lucrative government housing schemes.

The only help seems to be the  very welcome and commendable pressure from bodies like Dacre and Greystoke parish councils, from individuals like Councillors Wicks and  Fisher. 

PICTURED :Stafford House, Greystoke.

  Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 52227

RIVERSIDE PRIORITY SHOULD BE FIRST GETTING ITS OWN HOUSE IN ORDER

Carol singing should 

 get on-key!

No, it`s not Christmas…but I am certain that I can hear Carol singing! A bit off-key, I must admit. But then, when is Carol ever  on- key?

Yes, it`s Carol Matthews (pictured) ,Riverside Housing Association`s Chief Executive Officer who from time to time does a bit of “Carol singing” in the pages of that excellent publication, Inside Housing. Her “singing” takes  the form of an article in the magazine.

 Here is an example of her “Carol singing.” It is the title of her latest  Inside Housing article and reads as follows:

“From infection rates to vaccination uptake, we’re not all in the same boat” .

You may wonder what the boating is about.

The article goes sailing on to explain, list  and advise on various problems that have followed the Covis pandemic.

Problems such as :people who should be self-isolating aren’t doing so because they cannot afford not to work;people are scared to get a test for fear of having to self-isolate;people from ethnic minorities in the UK are more likely to die of Covid.

Mrs Matthews`article is very worthy…worthy, but very tedious, and lacking imagination.

Not only that, it is very much old hat. In other words we have heard it  all before.

The very knowledgeable Inside Housing readers will have read these various reports and problems hundreds of times previously on radio,TV and the rest of the media.They don`t have to hear it all yet again.

And additionally, Mrs Matthews` Riverside  organisation is in no position to be giving advice. The Liverpool-based  organisation is very bossy, very undemocratic and very inefficient as far as its 50,000 tenants and leaseholders are concerned.

Mrs Matthews should concentrate on the mote in her own organisation`s eye before trying to cast  out the mote in anyone else`s eye. Her priority should be getting her own house in order .

Carol singing should get on-key.

 Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 52227