Conservative-led Westminister City Council have categorically denied accusations they are sending residents in need of temporary accommodation to the Midlands.
Westminster’s Labour group has accused the council of planning to send residents who have lost homes to cities in the Midlands in order to ‘end any responsibility for Westminster to find them a permanent home.’
Soaring rents and house prices in London, as well as the shortage in council housing and cuts to support from the Government, have led to increasing levels of homelessness in the capital.
The central London council’s plans argued, according to the Labour group’s intepretation, Coventry, Birmingham and Leicester ‘offer the best opportunities’ for Westminster’s homeless to be rehoused.
The council’s rehousing plans show ‘no recognition of the strength of local connections’, the Labour group warned.
Westminster Council is also intending to purchase 200 new Private Rented properties.
According to Labour, this could see up to 40% of next year’s applicants pushed into accepting a one-time offer of a private rented property, ending the council’s duty to provide them with social housing in the long-term.
‘This council’s decades long atrocious record on building social and genuinely affordable homes combined with the Government’s insidious benefit changes have created a perfect storm for Westminster residents in desperate need for temporary accommodation,’ said Labour group leader Cllr Adam Hug.
‘This policy formalises and turbo-charges what has happened in recent years where Westminster residents in temporary accommodation are being sent further and further from home.
‘It is essential that Westminster radically improves its council house building plans and challenges the divisive Government policies that underpin these worrying plans.’
Responding to Labour’s accusations, Cllr Daniel Astaire, cabinet member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development, said: ‘We will make every effort to ensure these homes will require no more than one hour travel time to Westminster.
‘We are only looking at the south east, focusing on the home counties to help people retain their links to Westminster and London. We are not currently looking to house anyone in Coventry or the Midlands, nor do we have any intentions of doing so in the future.’
