Thursday, December 24, 2009

Homeless children in Cornwall - the tip of the iceberg

Some recently published data shows the extent of acute housing need in Cornwall.

Households in temporary accommodation are the tip of the iceberg as far as housing need is concerned. They summarise how many households - faced with the prospect of homelessness - have gone to Cornwall Council and been placed in temporary accommodation.

The latest figures are for the third quarter of 2009 (up to end September). Spare a thought anyway for all the homeless families, children, and individuals who will spend Christmas in temporary accommodation.

There were 337 Cornish households in temporary accommodation up to the end of September 2009; 51 of these were in bed and breakfast, rather than short-term private or social housing lets, or women's refuges.

Backed by Labour in Government, District Councils in Cornwall worked hard to bring these figures down. That responsibility has now transferred to Cornwall Council.

This is part of the human story behind Cornwall Council's red flag for housing in their area assessment report. Bringing more of the many empty properties in Cornwall into better social use would mean fewer people in acute housing need being placed in bed and breakfast; it would help to increase the availability of both temporary and long-term homes for rent.

The figures don't say how many people - as opposed to households - are in temporary accommodation.

I'm just hoping any Cornwall Councillors and officers reading this will make a new year's resolution to do their bit to reduce the number of Cornish families in temporary accommodation by Christmas 2010.

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