Empty hostels waste £¼m as taxpayer foots soaring costs

Just 1 in 6 of Broxbourne Council's hostel places is being used for their intended purpose. Out of 76 rooms, just 12 are being used for priority groups. But council taxpayers are being made to pay £¼ million for the empty accommodation.

Of the remaining rooms, 10 have been re-allocated to non-priority cases and 54 rooms are standing empty. Only a week earlier the council approved a 55 per cent increase in the hostels budget from April.

Waltham Cross Labour councillor Malcolm Aitken said:

"It is totally unacceptable that this council should be pouring £¼ million into buildings that are empty. While I am pleased that there have recently been fewer top priority housing cases, this scandalous waste of money is happening at a time when many families are on waiting lists for homes. To add insult to injury, the Conservatives' have asked taxpayers to pay for a 55 per cent rise in the hostels budget to make up for their own mismanagement."

In 2005, hostels cost the council just £67,787 after deducting rental income. This rose to an estimated £160,050 for the past year and soared again to £248,650 in the budget for the next 12 months.

Report filed 15/03/2007

Labour gain an extra councillor as Tories and BNP fail
EXCLUSIVE: Full local election results for Broxbourne
Leader pays tribute to Gina Aitken
Empty hostels waste £¼m as taxpayer foots soaring costs
Council tax hike condemned as Tories cancel Christmas
Hoddesdon Labour Club
Independent review for Chase Farm
Printworks nightmare
Working for a safer borough
Guarding the NHS

Return to home page