Clacton News

'Outsiders' to be wiped from housing waiting list

2:20pm Friday 27th January 2012

NEW moves are underway to prevent people from outside Tendring applying for council housing.

Residents have raised fears that local housing is being allocated to people from outside the district.

There are even claims that some London boroughs advise residents on their waiting lists to apply for homes in Tendring as well.

But if the the new housing allocations policy gets the go-ahead it would mean an end to the “open register” and only those who have lived in the district continuously for three years will be allowed to apply.

There are currently just over 3,300 families on Tendring’s waiting list, including 421 applicants currently living outside the district.

The move could cut that by 1,700 - more than half.

Council housing boss Paul Honeywood said: “Firstly, we need to help the people of Tendring.

“I think there is a lot of concern about how many houses are built in Tendring compared to how many are needed.

“We would like to help everyone, but the truth is that our priority has to be local people.”

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