08:36 Tuesday 2nd April 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
[R]ONNIE BARBOUR: As the Government’s planned housing benefit changes come into place, a block of flats belonging to a social housing provider is sitting empty in Peterborough. That’s according to Councillor John Shearman for Park Ward. He says there are around 25 empty flats at Muir Housing’s Elizabeth Court. As a reminder of the changes, people receiving housing benefit must pay now more rent in the future of they have a spare room. John Shearman is on the line to explain a bit more. John, good morning to you.
JOHN SHEARMAN: Good morning Ronnie.
RONNIE BARBOUR: What can you tell us about Elizabeth Court, and who lives there?
JOHN SHEARMAN: Right. Elizabeth Court is just off the centre of Peterborough, near Central Park, 53 flats altogether, 25 of them empty. In Peterborough we have about 370 long term empty properties that our Empty Property Officer is trying to fill. So that 25 is quite a sizable proportion of that number. Back in February I checked out with the Council how many applicants we had in Peterborough wanting a one bedroom property. It’s a staggering 5,262 people. Now that’s likely to be reduced now the Council has introduced a new allocations policy. But this new bedroom tax will make the situation worse.
RONNIE BARBOUR: How long have the flats been sitting empty? Continue reading “Social Housing Left Empty In Peterborough”