THE HOUSING market is ‘broken’ according to MP Matt Western.
In his maiden speech in the Houses of Parliament, the Warwick and Leamington MP highlighted housing and poverty issues withinin the constituency.
Mr Western told his peers there were currently 2,500 people on the council house waiting list in Warwick district, but expressed concern just 50 council homes had been built in the area since the authority re-started building council homes again in 2015.
He also said that last year more than 700 people applied to Warwick District Council as being homeless – up 130 per cent on 2010. This compared to a national increase of 29 per cent during the same period.
He said: “In my constituency, average rents have increased by 26 per cent in the past six years.
“In the past ten years only 50 council homes have been built in the area, although 2,400 are on the housing waiting list.
“Some 3,600 people in my constituency regularly use our food banks. There are several night shelters in our towns and in recent months the numbers attending have doubled.
“Quite simply, the housing market is broken.”
The MP also used his speech to address concerns over leaving the EU, and warned against leaving without a deal.
He added the district was home to people from around the world and was ‘exceptionally diverse’.
He said: “Since the vote, residents and businesses have consistently voiced their concerns to me about the impact of Brexit. They tell me they simply want clarity and certainty – urgently.
“I am confident they would agree with me – no deal, no way. They are right to worry.”
In his speech Mr Western also spoke about his delight at being voted the area’s MP, and thanked his Tory predecessor Chris White for his work.
He said: “The past five months have been extraordinary, and it is a great honour for me to represent Warwick and Leamington.”
Read the speech here – https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2017-10-12a.523.1 or the video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFN6LAMypHY
