COUNCILLOR SPOTLIGHTS "SAD DAY" FOR OUR CITY

 

`Dom ` style blast

at council house`sell-off

 

 

 Councillor Robert Betton (pictured) is becoming something of a local Dominic Cummings in his many wide-ranging  criticisms  of Carlisle City Council. His latest attack was on a decision twenty years ago to hand over the city`s entire stock of 8,000 council houses.

He called the decision a “sad day” in the history of the city.

This  is not the first occasion he has attacked both the handover and  Liverpool-based Riverside Housing Association which bought the houses. He has made these attacks many times previously.

His attack was concerned particularly about the lack of one bedroom homes in plans for a new massive housing estate,  an omission he feels is still an unsolved problem for the area.

·       He said: “I’ve said it at every meeting: it was a sad day when all of the city’s housing stock was handed over from the council.

·       “From then on it just appears that providing social housing hasn’t been made a priority.

·       “We have a situation now, where houses are being built but a lot of these homes are out of financial reach for those who would like to get on the property ladder."

·       He added: “My main concern is that there is a lack of one bedroom homes being built as part of the development.

·       “We’re really missing proper social housing in the area still. It’s a shame that we still can’t offer enough single people that option.”

Councilors were discussing a 725-home estate planned for the southern edge of Morton. In total, the estate will consist of 199 two bedroom dwellings, 352 three bedroom dwellings and 174 four bedroom dwellings.

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

 

 

CUTS ARE BECOMING THE NORM

`Homeless 

get no help from planners`

Cuts to affordable home numbers are becoming the norm, says a Cumbria local newspaper correspondent, highlighting the big reduction in the construction of these homes by a leading county building company, Story Homes.

Contributors to the letters column of the Penrith-based Cumberland and Westmorland Herald newspaper are continuing to draw attention to the shortage of these homes and the policy of local builders to make reductions to plans for more  of the homes.

In this week`s issue of the newspaper, Maggie Clowes of Appleby attacks Eden District Council`s planning committee for giving the go ahead for these reductions.

She writes:“The committee seemed more concerned to protect developers` profiles than to ensure sufficient affordable housing for its own taxpayers.

“Perhaps the scrutiny committee should consider how honest it is to pay lip service to policy on affordable housing which in practice is regularly ignored.”

“It would be interesting to know just how many developments have actually been built with the prescibed 30 percent affordable housing”

 

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