Romford Councillor Launches Investigation Into The Use Of Havering Homes By Other London Boroughs.

Families placed permanently into Havering can eventually become the responsibility of Havering Council. Schools, GPs and local services will all see increasing demand from new families being moved into the area, whilst Havering will continue to have to find accommodation for its own homeless families

Councillor David Taylor has launched an investigation into the use of Havering homes by London Boroughs, following regular reports of block sales to non-Havering Councils. 

Havering Council is battling with a homelessness crisis, with hundreds of families currently living in temporary accommodation. This includes families living in hotels and B&Bs across the borough. In order to deal with the crisis, Havering has secured agreements to develop old office blocks to be converted into homes. Whilst one such block is planned for Romford, Havering recently signed an agreement which will see dozens of families permanently moved to Basildon. 

The homelessness crisis is not unique to Havering and other London Boroughs are facing the same issues. The crisis goes beyond London and Essex recently reported that 4200 children are in temporary accommodation. This means that there is tough competition for newly built homes and many homes in Havering appear to be being snapped up by non-Havering local authorities.

Families placed permanently into Havering can eventually become the responsibility of Havering Council. Schools, GPs and local services will all see increasing demand from new families being moved into the area, whilst Havering will continue to have to find accommodation for its own homeless families. This may mean more being moved out of Havering. 

With Havering already spending 80% of its budget on social care, Councillor David Taylor says that there needs to be an urgent review of the pressure non-Havering families are placing on local services. 

Councillor Taylor told the Havering Daily:

“Our nation should be ashamed that we have thousands of children and families living in hotels and B&Bs. Increasing restrictions on landlords has caused thousands of rental homes to be sold and families on welfare are now competing over much smaller numbers of homes. 

We need to find permanent homes for these families but moving them into distant boroughs is only going to shift the issue. Councils are passing families around like hot-potatoes and this isn’t right. 

I worry that in a few years, Havering will become responsible for hundreds more vulnerable families and children and we just can’t afford that. Our budgets are already stretched too thin, and, in some circumstances, we are having to move Havering families out of London completely. 

I have written to 6 East London boroughs and asked them to reveal the number of families that they have settled in Havering, and how many of those residents are children. I am aware of two new developments that have been sold to non-Havering boroughs and those alone will bring in over 100 new families. 

Once we have this information, we can reveal the scale of the future pressure and push the government to change the rules.”

Councillor Taylor has submitted data requests to Barking and Dagenham, Hackney, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. He has also written to Havering MPs, requesting a meeting to discuss possible changes to housing laws. 

“These families need homes”, Taylor continued, “But if they are moved to a borough that can’t afford to take care of them then that’s not really much help. 

I don’t know what changes to legislation we need. But, I am willing to work with anyone and everyone to find a way forward. 

Havering can’t afford for things to carry on as they are”.

Stay up to date with all of our latest updates and content by following us on our social media accounts!

We have created community pages where we will share our up-to-date stories happening in the area. Add the area closest to where you live.