Blast at plan to remove 7,000 from homes list

OPPOSITION councillors in Northumberland have criticised plans to remove thousands of people from the county's housing list.

- JAMES ROBINSON

The move, which affects people "without a housing need" was branded "cruel" - but the Conservative administration's cabinet member for housing has insisted it will mean resources can be better directed to support those in need.

The council's cabinet signed off on plans to remove more than 7,000 people from the housing waiting list on Tuesday.

The move, which was first put forward before the local elections in May, will cut the size of the county council's housing register in half.

Under the changes, those assessed as being in Band 3 will no longer be on the register. The Northumberland Homefinder website states that those in Band 3 are "currently adequately housed"

However, Northumberland Labour leader Coun Scott Dickinson warned some residents were placed into the bands "unfairly".

He said: "Last year, I warned that the Conservatives' plan to delete thousands of people from the housing waiting list was not only wrong, it was cruel. Instead of fixing the housing crisis they created, they've now decided to simply delete the evidence of their own failure.

"If you're Band 3 in Northumberland, you'll soon be wiped from the system completely.