Warning as 3,000 live in ‘horrendous overcrowding’ - Housing chief James Murray warns of protests
Published: 27 August 2010
by PETER GRUNER
ISLINGTON'S housing chief warned this week of rising anger in the borough if the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government restricts money for new council homes.
Labour councillor James Murray said that with 13,000 on the housing waiting list and 3,000 people living in “horrendously” overcrowded conditions, there has never been a greater need for more family-size, social-rented homes.
As Barnsbury ward councillor, he said overcrowding was one of the biggest complaints he received. “I’ve visited people on the housing waiting list who have had to live for years cooped up in tiny overcrowded flats,” he added.
“You have kids having to sleep each night on the settee because of insufficient bedrooms. It’s stressful and they get no privacy. There’s nowhere to study.
“Is this a dignified way of life? We were elected to provide decent family rented accommodation and that’s what we are determined to do.”
Cllr Murray criticised the previous Lib Dem administration, which in recent years had approved plans for up to 1,500 homes a year but only a small proportion – often no more than one-in-seven – for the social- rented sector.
“Often what the Lib Dems described as affordable housing was totally out of reach of the majority of people on low incomes,” he said.
Cllr Murray spoke out as the council revealed that all plans for new homes were on hold until the government announced its spending review in October.
“We want to get on with building but our hands are tied,” he said. “We are worried that the government will reduce housing grants.”
He warned that if the government did restrict finance for social housing there would be enormous anger and unrest. “I expect there will be public demonstrations on all sorts of levels,” he said.
Currently, 40 per cent – 10,200 – of council homes are bedsit or one-bedroom in size but the greatest need is for new family-sized accommodation of two bedrooms or more.
Islington is asking the government not to cap the amount it can borrow, so it can build as many new homes as resources allow.
There is capacity to build at least 50 new family homes a year at a cost of £404million over 30 years – and possibly even more if resources are available.
Meanwhile, the council is increasing the number of family units by re-converting houses which had been divided into small flats back into larger homes.
It is also providing incentive packages encouraging people occupying homes that are too large for them to move to smaller accommodation, freeing up larger, family-sized properties for others in housing need.
Cllr Murray last month accused Prime Minister David Cameron of creating “fear and panic” among thousands of council tenants over his controversial plan to end life-long tenancies.
He described as “unworkable” and a “return to the dark ages” proposals for a five-year or more fixed term for all new council and housing association tenancies.