Figures obtained by Torbay MP Adrian Sanders have revealed the lack of Government support for social housing in South Devon. The Government announced in May 2008 that several hundreds of millions of pounds would be used to buy empty properties and rented to those on local housing registers.
Despite almost 7,000 families being on the waiting list for homes in Torbay, only 14 properties have been bought through the National Clearing House scheme since it began. 18 were obtained in the South Hams and only 7 in Teignbridge. Mr Sanders has raised concerns that this compares very unfavourably with other areas in the South West where housing waiting lists are not so high.
In total, 1,769 homes have been bought in the South West, with most other areas receiving more funding. It is estimated that there are 22,000 families waiting for social housing in Devon, with almost a third living in Torbay and around 6,000 in Plymouth.
Mr Sanders said: “There is an unbelievably acute housing shortage in the Bay and it is ridiculous that other areas, which do not have such needs, are getting more help from the Government. Ministers are hiding behind the structure of the scheme, which places responsibility on housing associations and councils to ‘bid’ for the funding. It would be far better if the Government stopped wasting time and money on complicated distribution systems and gave the resources fairly to where they are needed most.”
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