Housing crisis continues in Derbyshire

9.58.52am GMT Mon 1st Feb 2010

A New Year Parliamentary Question by Chesterfield MP Paul Holmes has forced the Government to reveal the depths of the affordable housing crisis in Derbyshire.

The figures show that in the year from October 2008-September 2009 (most up to date figures available), only 540 affordable homes of all kinds were built (360) or acquired (180) throughout Derbyshire with a total of only 60 in Chesterfield.

Paul said, "This is completely inadequate. In Chesterfield alone there are over two and a half thousand on the Council House waiting list and many others who don't join it because it is so long. Add in the whole of Derby City and the rest of Derbyshire such as Bolsover and North East Derbyshire and just 540 social rent, intermediate rent and Low Cost Home Ownership houses, is a hopelessly small number -especially as home repossessions are still increasing due to the Recession."

"Almost every Friday at my Advice Surgery I see young couples with children who are 'sofa surfing' or living in cramped, damp, unsuitable overpriced accommodation. I see elderly people who desperately need an OAP Bungalow because they can no longer cope with a house, stairs and garden. "

"Nationally the Council House waiting list has doubled under this Government from 1 million in 1997 to 2 million today. Yet in a recent latter to me on the 23rd December the Housing Minister boasted that 'the Government had made money available to help build 3,900 new Council Houses over the next two years -the most for nearly 20 years'. That is a pathetic figure rather than something to boast about. Compare it to 2 million on the waiting list -it is less than 8 per English constituency like Chesterfield. It is only a 'record' because the Government have built less than that number over the whole of the last 13 years. Worse still they have diverted money from modernising old Council Houses in order to build even this inadequate number."

"The social consequences, tension and misery caused by Government failure will be with us for a generation or more."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1.The answer can be found in full here:

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Note to editors - the full answer can be found here.