Government attacked for breaking promise on new homes (Cambridge Liberal Democrats)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats <camlibdems@gmail.com>

Government attacked for breaking promise on new homes

December 16, 2009 1:14 PM

Ian Nimmo-Smith

Cambridge Liberal Democrats have attacked the government after it almost halved money promised to Cambridgeshire for affordable homes.

They accused Labour of breaking its promise after it clawed back £6 million of a £13.5 million grant for housing and infrastructure.

The money was part of a multi million pound package designed to tackle the imbalance of housing supply and demand and fulfil the government's pledge to provide 240,000 new homes by 2016.

The government told officials in Cambridgeshire that it was taking back the money so that housing could be produced quickly in other areas where it was needed.

But Cambridge City Council leader, Ian Nimmo-Smith said: "We have 6,000 households on the housing register in Cambridge. We have housing schemes ready to start which this money was earmarked to help with.

"This robbing Peter to pay Paul makes no sense at all."

Sian Reid, Cambridge City Executive Councillor for Change and Growth said: "The government has found itself with a financial black hole and has chosen to punish some of the county's most vulnerable people."

MP David Howarth said: "Sadly, this is what we have come to expect from a government which relies on management by crisis.

"It has found itself in a tight corner and has hit out by penalising the very people who need its help. There is a severe shortage of housing across the city and this can only be addressed by a government which makes a promise and sticks to it.

"This government has proved time and time again that it is not true to its word."