Empty properties could be brought back to life for homeless

Conservative councillors and others sleeping on the street for a night highlight the problem of homelessness, something which should not exist in Britain today nor should, of course, anyone be called a NEET.

It is also not something Labour can afford to crow about locally or nationally due to the number of empty properties which grew under their 13-year watch.

Coun. Iqbal represents a Pendle ward where properties have been boarded up for years. It is not a lack of homes/houses that is the problem, it’s a lack of will to change the system. Oh yes, since 2010 the number of empty properties has been reduced but as our majority Conservative councillors tell us, we still have over 1,000 of them and far too many of them brought up to standard stay empty for months.

Many of these empty properties owned by the council could be brought back to life by homeless people and perhaps on a temporary basis, if the will was there.

So let’s have less political posturing but some positive action!

Derek E. Mann

Colne