Richmond Council Tackles Conservative Homelessness Crisis.

Cllr Jim Millard, Deputy Leader and Housing Lead, announced that Richmond Council would formally be applying to become a Registered Provider of Social Housing to enable them to expand their direct delivery of temporary accommodation for Richmond Residents to tackle the Conservative homelessness crisis.

Cllr Millard said, “The Cost of Living Crisis caused by the Conservatives' economic mismanagement, has driven has driven a big increase in Richmond residents finding themselves at risk of homelessness whilst at the same time the pool of appropriate properties in the private rented sector has evaporated. As a result, too often Richmond families faced with homelessness are having to be placed in temporary accommodation outside the borough, far from support networks and often with journeys of over 10 miles to school every day.

“As Liberal Democrats we refuse to stand by and watch this happen. We’re taking action to become a Registered Provider, to enable us to step in and provide appropriate, good quality temporary accommodation within the borough. In the face of a temporary accommodation crisis which has been exacerbated by the soaring cost of living, we need to take swift action to alleviate the impact on Richmond borough residents in need.”

Seeking Registered Provider status enables Richmond upon Thames Council to become a development partner with the Greater London Authority (GLA) and actively bid for funding to increase the stock of good quality temporary accommodation within the borough.

At the same time, the Liberal Democrats have been lobbying Government to unfreeze benefits that will help this crisis. Cllr Gareth Roberts, Leader of Richmond Council, this week wrote to the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, saying “The continued freeze on the Housing Benefit subsidy cap for temporary accommodation, which remains stagnant at the 2011 rate, is placing increasing financial stress on council budgets, which ultimately risks impacting the delivery of council services. Without significant government intervention, council taxpayers will have to meet ever-increasing costs as we work to tackle the homelessness crisis that has been exacerbated by the rising cost of living. 

“We urge the government to take urgent action and use the Spring Budget to unfreeze the subsidy cap for temporary accommodation placements from 2011 levels and help ensure the well-being of our residents.”

Cllr Roberts added, “If the Conservatives are serious about addressing this crisis, then ending this benefit freeze would be hugely effective. I am proud of the work that the council has done in stepping up to help the most vulnerable in society when the government has taken a back seat. Richmond Liberal Democrats will continue to do all we can to support residents, to ensure we address this crisis with creativity and ingenuity”.