The way in which some council housing is allocated has been questioned by a tenant rep.
She asked about the use of homes that were sold under the “right to buy” and recently bought back by Brighton and Hove City Council.
Some of the “buy-backs” are being used as temporary housing rather than allocated to people on the council’s waiting list.
The question was submitted by Woodingdean Tenants and Residents’ Association representative Janet Gearing to a council housing management panel.
The panel was told that five homes in the area had been used as temporary housing and two had been let as council homes so far this year.
Mrs Gearing was concerned that houses intended for families were being used temporarily when there were people on the waiting list in need of a larger home.
She was also aware that the council had bought a further six houses in Woodingdean which had originally been sold under the “right to buy”.
Mrs Gearing said: “Are these going to be for temporary accommodation or are they going to people off the housing register. People don’t need temporary. They need permanent places to live.”
The council’s director of housing people services Harry Williams said that there were between 5,600 and 5,800 households waiting for social housing, with the longest waiting list for larger properties.
There were more than 2,200 households in temporary housing who were classified as homeless, with 40 per cent of those including children.
The stop-gap measure would be in place until next May, the panel was told, and was intended to provide more stable temporary housing.
The council’s cabinet had been told that there would be an impact on people on the housing register.
But Mr Williams said that other new housing was coming across Brighton and Hove and using the buy-backs as temporary homes was a short-term measure.
He said: “We have been able to do really positive things using our temporary accommodation. That includes reducing the number of households that we have placed outside the city.
“We’re seeing fewer housholds living in areas like Eastbourne as a result of using council homes as temporary accommodation.”
Last year, the council bought back 118 homes sold under the “right to buy”.
The council’s director of homes and investment Martin Reid said that buy-backs were permanent additions to the council’s housing stock, even when used as temporary housing.
Mr Reid said: “That’s really significant for us. We’ve also bought homes on the St Aubyn’s development in Rottingdean. Were also buying all over the city.
“We’ve got a huge development coming on the Mouselcoomb hub – that’s over 200 council homes.
“We’ve also bought a site in Sackville Road – so we’re building and buying more homes across the city.”
Why are so much time has the RtoB not been rescinded baffles me. One of the most insidious bit of legislation from the Thatcher time in office. After having many different political parties since, no government seen fit to stop this millions of nomes now lost to the private sector charging 3 times value rent. No wonder thousands are on waiting list
Who can argue with your point.
Whilst we there what about privatisation – how on earth can water be in profit making companies who privatise their profits and socialise their losses. Where is the risk for these vulture companies.
I agree, that RTB doesn’t have a place in modern society and social homes, not to mention how the money form the sale doesn’t all go to the local area.
I’m interested in seeing how effective the alternative grant scheme will be, on paper, looks great at protecting social homes as social homes.