Should charity begin at home on housing?

Oct 23 2008 by Judith Phillips, North Wales Weekly News

Are councils in North Wales a soft touch for people from other areas looking to be provided with a home? Or is it the right policy to give what help we can even though the number of local people in need of somewhere to live continues to grow? JUDITH PHILLIPS look at the issues involved

A FAMILY from Wolverhampton kicked up a storm when they complained Conwy County Council was refusing to rehouse them even though they had lived in a caravan in the area for six months.

The Weekly News was bombarded with angry letters from people who reckon the family should not take precedence over others who have been on the council waiting list for much longer.

It has also been suggested that newcomers to the area who arrive here without permanent accommodation lined up should return to their home town to throw themselves on the mercy of the council there rather than appeal for help from already over-stretched resources in Conwy.

Kevin Blewitt, 44, moved with his family to Manorafon Caravan Park on Llanddulas Road in Abergele after suffering a bereavement and says that despite having been on Conwy’s housing list for over six months they are still waiting to be accommodated.

“The council told me they’d be able to help us out, but so far what they’ve offered us has been minimal in what is hardly an ideal situation,” he said.

“It’s been a real struggle. We moved to North Wales to try and make a fresh start with our lives, but I’m really frustrated at the way we have been treated.”

Kevin, daughters Dionne, seven, and Mary, 19, and son Graham, 13, suffer from neurological sensory motor disorder, a form of muscular wasting disease, and are registered as disabled.

Cllr Bob Squire, chairman of the council’s transient population task and finish group, responded by saying cases such as the Blewitts posed a growing problem for Conwy.

“These sort of cases have a huge impact on local services for which we get no support grants in return,” he said. “As they live in a holiday caravan they’re on holiday rather than actually living here.

“I advise them to seek support from their own local authority in the West Midlands. I sympathise with the family and don’t want to sound cruel, but the cost of taking on four disabled people by accepting them as homeless would be a huge burden.”

A Conwy County Council spokesman said it has a legal duty to provide accommodation for people classified as homeless, but as in other parts of the UK levels of homelessness have risen significantly during the last few years.

“Homelessness can occur for a variety of reasons including relationship breakdown, rent or mortgage arrears, and the ending of a private tenancy being among the most common,” she said.

“The way in which the council considers homelessness applications is clearly set out by legislation. The council investigates a number of issues including whether an applicant is in priority need or is unintentionally homeless.

“It is only when a local authority is satisfied that an applicant has met all the relevant criteria within the legislation that it has a duty to provide assistance with housing.”

She said she could not comment on individual cases, but pointed out that social housing was limited and the points system had to be adhered to.

“We have 172 cases at present involving families, couples and individuals placed in a variety of private sector leased accommodation, holiday self-catering apartments, women’s refuges, hostels and B&Bs.

“Of these 16 are single females, 51 are single males, 48 are single females with children, six are single males with children. There are 45 couples with dependent children and six couples with dependent children.”

She added that advice for homeless people and those threatened with homelessness is available from the council’s housing option and support team on 01492 576271. Help and advice is also available from Citizens Advice Bureaux and the charity Shelter.

judith.phillips