Calls for sale of recently bought houses to be debated by City Council amid fears over 'human cost' of housing crisis

Gloucester City Council’s plans to sell two large family homes they bought earlier this year to turn into houses in multiple occupation (HMO) could be debated at an extraordinary meeting. The move to sell the properties has been and was debated by the overview and scrutiny committee earlier this week. Opposition councillors feel so strongly about the housing crisis affecting the city that they are calling for the decision to be considered by all councillors at a meeting in .

Resources cabinet member Declan Wilson (LD, Hucclecote) explained the rationale behind the proposed sale of the two properties at the scrutiny meeting Monday (November 4). One is in Kingsholm while the other is in Podsmead. He said it was the view that going ahead with it would have broken one of their manifesto pledges.



The council leadership wants to sell the properties and reinvest them in other houses they deem to be more suitable. “We said we would control the proliferation of HMOs in areas of the city already badly affected," Cllr Wilson said. “It is our view that going ahead with the conversion of these two properties into HMOs would have broken this manifesto commitment.

"It is not our intention to approve the conversion of a family home into HMOs. This is a short term solution but it has long term consequences. “Too many HMOs can change the character and quality of neighbourhoods and this is done without the consent of local residents.

” He also said it was high risk for the people they are trying to help. He also said it leads to a reduction in affordable housing for people in Gloucester. group leader Stephanie Chambers (C, Quedgeley Fieldcourt) said there was a huge human cost to the decision to sell the properties.

“This was always something we needed to look at," she said. "We should not be using hotels, that should be a last resort. How many households do we have in temporary accommodation, and how many are in hotels?” Cllr Wilson said there were 189 people in temporary accommodation as of the end of September.

And the number of people in bed and breakfasts is 37. He said Cllr Chambers' point that it was a human tragedy and they are trying to balance the needs of different sets of people. “The HMO isn’t necessarily the right solution,” he said.

“I do agree we are in the middle of an emergency and we must get replacement properties as soon as possible.” He said the council has purchased 17 other properties. Six are in Kingsholm, four are in Podsmead three Moreland, and in conveyance there are two in Barton and Tredworth, one in Grange and another in Moreland.

Cllr Wilson said none of the others would be converted into HMOs. Speaking after the meeting Cllr Chambers said her group has consulted with the mayor and formally requested that the matter be referred to an extraordinary council meeting. The calls have been backed by and the Community Independents.

Labour group's deputy leader Tree Chambers-Dubus (L, Moreland) said her group was more than happy to support calls for an extraordinary meeting. “Housing is so important,” she said. “Ultimately, we have a problem with housing and we could be providing 12 people a stable place to stay if those houses were open.

“We are prepared to support the meeting because we need to do the decent thing. These are people not facts and figures.”.