Liverpool has seen a concerning 47% increase in its rough sleeper numbers in just one year, with a 15% increase in a single month between August and September. 17% of single individuals in temporary accommodation in Liverpool are under the age of 25.
The Lib Dems called for a special meeting of the Council after it was revealed that the Local Government Ombudsman has condemned Labour run Liverpool City Council saying that it had ‘failed in its duty of care’. One of these cases involved a homeless and pregnant single mum whose pleas to the Council were ‘repeatedly ignored’.
Lib Dem Deputy Leader Cllr Rob McAllister-Bell blasted the Labour Councillors at the meeting saying that 'not one of them had said the word sorry.'
“It’s time to build new council houses”, say Lib Dem Leader.
At the Liverpool City Council Meeting, Cllr Carl Cashman, Leader of the Opposition, unveiled an ambitious policy aimed at addressing the homelessness crisis and housing shortages within our city.
Speaking in the debate on the Homelessness Crisis facing the City, Cllr Cashman announced his party’s policy initiative, the first under the new leader’s regime. Liverpool Liberal Democrats’ proposal puts forward a plan to build new Council Housing in Liverpool, the first in a generation. They are proposing firstly to use a mix of funding options including Section 106 money from developers and to finance new council owned social housing in Liverpool.
By increasing the stock of social housing available to the City Council, the Lib Dems argue this will take pressure off the demand for temporary accommodation and B&Bs, savings the taxpayer millions. In November 2023, Liverpool City Council announced it expected to spend £19.4m on temporary housing.
Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Carl Cashman, said, “Being in opposition you can get into the habit of defining yourselves simply by what you’re against, but I want my opposition to be defined by what a Liberal Democrat administration would do if we were in control. That’s why a Lib Dem-run council in Liverpool, for the first time in a generation would build council houses in our city.
“We will use the development and regeneration in our city to build high quality social housing for everyone. Professor Ashton’s Public Health report has detailed the vicious cycle that people can fall into, whether poverty and poor housing puts them on a spiral downward. By growing our stock of social housing, we will reduce our costly dependency on temporary accommodation and B&Bs.
“Our city is facing a housing crisis that demands bold and innovative solutions. We need a housing policy that will deliver results for residents in our city. This initiative is not just about bricks and mortar; it's about creating a Liverpool where everyone has a place to call home,"
ENDS
