It would appear the Folkestone & Hythe District Council have been breaking the law by sending households to other districts and counties.
The Guardian make it clear in a story today that English Councils have been breaking the law by”secretly” relocating homeless people. Many Councils (including ours) did not notify the new local authority and as such flouted the homelessness guidance to keep people/households in their communities
On Sept 25th 2018, in a piece about Roman Abramovich’s ownership of Pensand House and Marlbrough Court we made it clear that 16 families had been sent to Durham; and the Council were flouting the homelessness guidance.
These households were moved a total distance of 5,323 miles (16 x 332) or the equivalent of Folkestone to Chita in Siberia.
On Sept 28th 2019 we ran the story:
These households were moved more than the distance of Folkestone to Moscow.
Add in the 16 households sent to Durham and that makes 258 households sent elsewhere; and as such flouted the guidance. Together these 258 households have been moved a total of around 7,278 miles away from their local areas, the equivalent of a train journey from Folkestone to Vladivostok in Siberia.
This issue of households being moved in and out of the Folkestone & Hythe District, was first raised by former District Cllr Mary Lawes (pictured). All to frequently she asked former Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Alan Ewart James about the numbers of households being placed into our district, and sent away from our district.
Cllr Lawes was told the council never recorded these figures and that other authorities didn’t always notify the council. We now understand why they never recorded them. Her persistence and tenaciousness in wanting to know the figures paid off and the council began collecting and recording the data because of her.
By Sept 2019 the Council had spent close to £55 million on acquiring properties in our district and beyond, yet moved 258 households.
It is clear to us the Council are more intent in looking after their property portfolio than the people who live in the district.
A documentary about these issues will be aired tomorrow on ITV: Ross Kemp: Living With ‘Forced Out’ Families, Thursday 2 July at 7.30pm.
The Shepwayvox Team
Dissent is NOT a Crime
