UPDATE ON DECENT HOMES SCANDAL

12.00.00am GMT Mon 21st Dec 2009

Local Liberal Democrat MP for Sutton and Cheam, Paul Burstow, spoke out against the decision made by the Government to move resources away from the decent homes programme; a programme that was created to bring all council housing in line with certain minimum standards.

Speaking in the pre-recess Christmas debate Mr Burstow told MPs, "Given that the stock condition of council homes in the borough has been put in the bottom quartile of all London councils, the decent homes programme is much needed in my area.

"The decent homes programme could really improve the lives of many people living in Sutton Cheam and Worcester Park.

"The money would have been used to replace a number of things including: asbestos-ridden box bathrooms that are literally coming away from the sides of the properties to which they were attached 40 years ago, and electrical and plumbing works. New boilers and home insulation would also go a long way to help to tackle fuel poverty

.

"A team has been set up to do all that work, but they are now at risk of being sacked, because the funding is no long available. The contractors who have been lined up- and who would have employed 27 new apprentices- are now having to be stood down. We need that £120 million programme to lift the standard of living of many of my constituents."

Speaking about the progress that had been made on this issue, Paul went on to say, "I had a very successful and useful meeting just last week with the Minister for Housing and local tenants leaders, who made a very powerful case urging the Government to give local people the money they were promised.

My sincere hope now is that the Minister will reflect on the matter over the Christmas period and that he will have a change of heart so that this much needed resource becomes available to local residence."

ENDS

Note to editors

More information available about the decent homes programme available at:

www.communities.gov.uk