Housing is one of the biggest issues we face today. We need more affordable homes for people to buy and rent. There has been a failure in the housing market that means the lack of available properties has pushed up prices and rents. That means today, that many people on lower wages pay a greater part of the income each month on housing, than any other members of society. I have advocated the need to build more homes nationally and locally to address this problem and was delighted to hear the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond announce at the beginning of the month, that he is opening a new £3 billion Home Building Fund. This Fund will deliver housing growth through direct Government support for those who cannot access financing in the market. In particular, the fund will provide £1 billion of short term loan funding for small builders, custom builders and innovators, to help get the market moving again. This intervention alone should deliver over 25,000 homes over the next four years.
Last week I wrote in this column that our government should give safe passage to this country for the around 300 unaccompanied children in the Calais Jungle camp, for whom it had already been established that they have a legal right to claim asylum in the UK. With the French government planning to demolish the camp this month, it has become even more important that this work to relocate these vulnerbale children should be completed quickly. Having taken this up directly with Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, I was pleased to hear her announce in the House of Commons on Monday, that the government will do this, and that her department is working with the French authorities to complete this work within the next two weeks. After the demolition by the French government of the southern part of the Jungle camp in July, over 100 children were registered missing. These are the most vulnerable children, who have seen and been through terrible things in their short lives. Whilst it is right that the Calais Jungle site is cleared, the authorities must work to safeguard the children who are there, to protect them from the evil people trafficking gangs.
I recently attended the annual general meeting of the Shepway Citizen’s advice bureau (CAB). The CAB provides support and advice to people on a wide range of issues, from legal questions to problems with debt and housing. I would like to thank Sue Day, our District Manager in Shepway for her hard work, and that of all of the members of her team. You can find out more about the local CAB services at their website, www.shepwaycab.co.uk. To speak to an advisor directly, you can visit their offices at Units 4 – 6, Princes Gate, George Lane (off Rendezvous Street) in Folkestone, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9.30am to 2.30pm. They also offer a service in Hythe with advisors at the Hythe Bay Primary school from 10am to 12pm on Fridays.