The Birmingham Mail recently reported how a family of 2 adults with 3 children, one with ADHD who needs their own bedroom, try to survive in a 3rd floor flat with one bedroom, kitchen, lounge, bathroom surrounded with damp washing. The couple and a child are sleeping sharing a sofa bed with the baby in cot next to it, turning lights out at 7pm to settle the children down.
After 12 months of bidding for properties on Birmingham and other councils’ properties with 100 plus ahead of them in the queue. The council says people have to be “realistic”.
Birmingham City Council’s housing waiting list currently has around 500 applications per week, with just under half deemed eligible to be on the list. It took 6 months for one family to have their claim assessed. The average assessment time for Birmingham is 22 weeks.
The Council's own report titled Housing Options issued in August 2021 stated that with 60,000 council properties (in 1981 there were 123,000!) there were 18,649 on the register to bid for council homes and 3,700 households in temporary accommodation. Given that the report states there are 80,000 in the private rented sector with an estimated 4,500 currently available, what choice is there?
The council plan to build 2,708 homes by 2029. This is not realistic!
The Trade Unionist Coalition (TUSC) is hosting an open forum for trade unionists, community residents’ groups and anti-cuts campaigners.
Here we will be discussing how we can fight for a budget to fight for that meets the city’s real needs on homes, jobs and public services - a realistic fighting alternative!
The meeting details are
Date: Saturday 27th November
Time: 12 till 2 PM
Venue: Kings Norton Ex-Servicemens Club, 1853a Pershore Road,
Cotteridge, Birmingham B30 3DJ
For more information Call/Text 0797 4493525
Email tuscbirmingham@gmail.com