Leader condemns proposals to make jobless homeless

12.00.00pm GMT Tue 19th Feb 2008

Councillors will be asked on Wednesday to denounce controversial government proposals to remove council tenancies from the unemployed.

At the full council meeting on 20th February, Lib Dem group leader Cllr Richard Brett will table a white paper motion that calls for the council to reject the housing minister Caroline Flint's controversial suggestion that people's council tenancies should be removed if they aren't judged to be looking hard enough for work.

In the wake of their announcement last week, the proposals were widely attacked as shallow posturing from a government that had failed to address the issue.

There were also concerns that local authorities would find the measures unenforceable or possibly even illegal as they currently have an obligation to allocate social housing to those who need it most.

Cllr Brett (Lib Dem, Burmantofts and Richmond Hill) said:

"This sort of announcement is unfortunately typical of what we've come to expect from the current government.

"Caroline Flint's seemingly tough talking rhetoric masks the fact that hers is an impractical and possibly illegal solution to a very complex problem.

"I hope that all parties can unite on Wednesday and send a strong message to the government that we remain committed to providing housing to those who need it and are against the minister's poorly thought out proposals."