Our Housing shortage is made worse by London Councils
The number of households being moved out of London by councils has increased dramatically, was the headline in the Guardian today. 1,200 households were sent out of the capital in the first 6 months of this year. And, of course, the councils that are worst affected by this forced exodus from London are all the surrounding areas.
Not only does this add pressure on the already scarce affordable accommodation resource needed for local people, but those being forcibly moved here often are the most vulnerable in society with various other needs that our council is somehow meant to cope with, within a council budget that is on course to being cut by 63% between 2010 and 2020.
The result: The rise in rough sleeping and the erosion of almost all the civil support services that make us a civilised society that shows some compassion for the most vulnerable of our neighbours. This is exacerbated by the continuing austerity that this government is so proud of and which continues with further cuts already built into the current plans.
Brexit has been a masterstroke because it has diverted attention from the serious issues that really affect our lives. Issues like Child poverty, mental healthcare, support for the ageing population, air pollution and Global warming. They are all drowned out by this clarion call to faux nationalism that seems to be the last remaining justification for the economically costly drive to separate us from our largest market.
Activism is growing because people do care! But it also requires a Party Political response and the Liberal Democrats are open to collaboration with activist groups that share our political philosophy.
The AGM is on Friday the 9th Nov at 7.30pm
At the White Rock Hotel, Hastings