Council house waiting list up 70 per cent
Latest figures show the number of people on the council house waiting list in Northampton has increased by more than 70 per cent in the past 11 years.
Figures released by the Liberal Democrats during their national conference in Bournemouth yesterday show the number of people waiting for council housing in Northampton rose from 3,409 in 1997 to 5,849 last year – a jump of 71.5 per cent.
The figures came out as the party's shadow housing minister, Sarah Teather, made a speech attacking the Labour Government for their record on housing.
She said: "Labour should be ashamed that waiting lists have as much as doubled in some areas. It's a disgrace that so many families are forced to wait for social housing while so many potentially good homes lie unoccupied."
Her stance was backed by Northampton Borough Council's cabinet member for regeneration, Councillor Richard Church (Lib Dem, Kingsthorpe), who was also at the conference.
He said: "The figures have increased substantially in Northampton over the years, and it's bad everywhere."
Despite admitting there was a long waiting list in Northampton, the councillor insisted steps were being taken to solve the problem, including building new council houses and restoring old ones.
He said: "What we're achieving in Northampton is a step in the right direction."
The Liberal Democrat conference speech on council housing criticised the Government for allowing people to live in a "housing hell", with large waiting lists and overcrowded homes.
But Labour's MP for Northampton North, Sally Keeble, said she was disappointed with the track record of the current council in Northampton.
She said: "The Liberal Democrat council has been appalling, particularly in the way it's dealt with homeless people.
"There's also been a total failure to improve current council houses and they're not keeping pace with repairs."
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