One In Ten Brent Children Stuck In Housing Misery - Teather
June 1, 2007 3:10 PM
Sarah is calling on the Government to build more homes
Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East, Sarah Teather, has uncovered statistics showing that an estimated one in ten Brent children are living in temporary accommodation.
Following parliamentary questions from Sarah, the Government admitted that after ten years of Labour almost 6000 children in Brent are still living in temporary accommodation. This is the highest number in London, and equates to approximately 1 in 10 under 18s in the borough.
Tony Blair promised to provide more social housing when he came to power in 1997. But under Labour, waiting lists have gone up and the number of new homes being built is nowhere near high enough to meet demand. This has trapped thousands of Brent families in temporary housing, with an uncertain future.
Sarah recently revealed shocking statistics showing that it will take another 100 years to meet Brent's desperate need for new social housing. Now, the local MP is calling on the Government to allow local councils to use 'right to buy' money to invest in new housing stock. Sarah also wants to see councils being given the freedom to borrow money to build new homes, just as Housing Associations are.
Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said:
"These children have been abandoned by the system, with little hope of ever having a permanent place to call home.
"Tony Blair came to power promising to build more social housing, but his legacy is one of failure and neglect of some of the poorest families in Brent.
"The rate we are going it will take another 100 years to meet Brent's housing need. Children in Brent deserve better from their Government. When he moves into number 10, Gordon Brown urgently needs to release funds to build more social housing.
"Poor housing effects a child's health, education and life chances. We will never be able to properly address the chronic levels of poverty in Brent until the Government start taking this issue seriously."
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