Ex-Armed services personnel will receive priority under the new Housing Allocations policy.

8.58.48am GMT Wed 10th Mar 2010

Intervention in the development of the City Council's allocations policy by Lib Dem Housing Spokesperson, Cllr Iain Donaldson has ensured that former armed services personnel will receive priority under Manchester's new housing allocations policy.

Cllr Donaldson stated "Our armed services personnel place themselves in great danger, day in day out, for us. It is absolutely right that when they return to civilian life they should be afforded every opportunity and help we can give them."

The allocations policy which is to be considered at today's Executive Meeting provides for a number of changes to the way in which social housing is allocated in the City and raises a lot of questions and concerns many of which will only become clear when they are put into practice. Particularly it introduces for the first time a preference for those in work or 'adding value to their community' over those who are not, and a ceiling of £ 60,000 of family income for those applying for social housing in the City, above which it is expected people will have to secure property in the private sector.

Cllr Donaldson questions "Whilst I welcome some of the changes in the policy, there are definitely areas that need to be addressed. For example where a family with an income of over £ 60,000 needs support for adaptations that would be too expensive to be achieved in the private sector, will they still be prohibited from applying for social housing under the new policy?"

"I am also concerned that the question of overcrowding is clarified. The policy as written appears to re-define overcrowding as being in need of three bedrooms more than the nationally accepted standard for overcrowding requires. I can not believe that this proposal is correct or even what was intended by the people drafting this document."

Ends....

Notes to editors:

The allocations policy now ensures that:

Ex-forces personnel returning to or arriving into Manchester, having left the armed forces are given a Manchester connection even if they have not previously resided here before.

Ex- armed forces personnel will highly likely qualify under one of the reasonable preference criteria.

Under the proposals for the new Allocations policy ex-forces personnel will also be considered for any employment linked or Community Contribution.

Disabled ex-forces personnel will be assessed for additional reasonable preference under welfare and/or disability and be assessed for specific property types and adaptations accordingly.

The use of Directors Discretion will continue to apply for exceptional cases, taken in consultation with City Solicitors, although this is not something that will be used lightly.

Cllr Donaldson last year secured a Liberal Democrat national policy that armed forces personnel should receive appropriate support for issues arising from Combat Stress throughout their lives, and that the families of returning armed services personnel should be afforded help to visit their loved ones whilst they are recuperating from the injuries and tragedies of armed conflict.