Outside-the-box and outside-the-borough thinking needed to fix 'awful effect' of housing problem in Epsom and Ewell, Labour councillor argues

More than 2,031 people have been waiting for housing in Epsom and Ewell for more than six months despite there being 56 long-term empty properties in the borough, council figures show.

The council houses anyone who presents themselves as homeless in “emergency accommodation”, and also has 37 households in nightly paid accommodation outside of the borough – which costs about £1million a year, a spokesman confirmed.

Councillors have called for action to address the housing imbalance in Epsom and Ewell, but also acknowledged that for many years “not enough housing has been provided”.

At a meeting of the council’s Community and Wellbeing Committee last month, Residents’ Association leader Councillor Clive Woodbridge (pictured above) said “it would be useful to bring (the 56 empty properties) back into use”.

From January: Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s Community and Wellbeing Committee provisionally agree 3 to 6 per cent cost increase in hiring venues and using services

But finding permanent accommodation for the thousands of people on the waiting list requires long-term solutions and the council should prioritise saving on bed and breakfast accommodation outside the borough, increasing the number of homes in the borough, and providing accommodation for those who need them, an opposition councillor has argued.

Labour Councillor Kate Chinn (pictured above) told the Epsom Guardian being housed out of the borough, away from your support network has “an awful effect on people”, and that simply bringing the empty properties back into use would not address the scale of the problem.

From today: One in eight parents in east and south east of England blame short-rental tenancies for unsettling children, YouGov poll published by Shelter shows

“Quite simply, there is not enough housing in the borough that people can afford to move in to,” she said.

“I think as councillors we have to look at what other people are doing outside the borough.

“Other places are thinking outside the box, but they are managing to do it, so why can’t we?

“For so many years it has not provided enough housing and now we are reaping the costs.”

Epsom town hall

She said Epsom and Ewell Borough Council could learn from other councils about different ways to tackle the housing problem.

Cllr Chinn cited Southampton, as an example of one council she has been in touch with, which is exploring the possibility of partnerships which provide capital for council housing, and leasing a factory unit and building prefabricated housing inside.

A council spokesman said: “Given the scarcity of suitable housing within the borough, we regard these properties as a wasted housing resource.

“We have written to all owners of these properties asking them to consider bringing their empty property back into use.

“The reasons why owners keep their properties empty for long periods are varied but in addition to creating more homes, we are keen to prevent empty properties attracting anti-social behaviour or environmental harm.”

• The number of people who have been on the council’s waiting list for council housing for more than ten years – 432
• The number of people who have been on the council’s waiting list for council housing for more than five years – 1,314
• The number of people who have been on the council’s waiting list for council housing for more than two years – 1,686
• The number of people who have been on the council’s waiting list for council housing for more than one year – 1,856
• The number of people who have been on the council’s waiting list for council housing for more than six months – 2,031

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