Council House Waiting List To Reach Two Million
THE time may well have come for a major new house building programme as new figures reveal the shocking extent of the current housing crisis.
With the number of families joining the waiting list for a council house rising by an incredible 119,000 every year, the size of the queue could top two million by 2010.
Housing charity Shelter is extremely concerned and is calling on the Government to start building more homes. Chief Executive Adam Sampson tells us: “This new analysis is shocking. It shows since Labour took power 10 years ago it simply has not done enough to tackle the chronic shortage of social homes. It means more and more ordinary families waiting years, sometimes as long as 20, for a proper home to bring up their children.”
Forty years ago, there were almost 200,000 council houses being built a year but that figure has dwindled to just hundreds; since Labour came to power, the waiting list for council properties has actually risen by more than 600,000.
A senior Government “source” tells the Mirror: “We know we have to build more and recognise it’s a major issue for families. We’re working on ways to achieve that”.
One doubts just how interested the Government is in the working classes. Unless they’re slapping Asbo’s on them.
/
Posted: 19th, June 2007 | In: Money Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
