We need affordable homes more

As Warwick district councillors, myself and fellow Brunswick councillors have to look at the ward as a whole when deciding what developments we want to support. The proposed alternative use for the Kingsway site is to build 11 new affordable homes. Making housing a priority was high on Labour’s manifesto when we were elected. This was reinforced in my mind this week when I was told that a family of five who contacted me six months ago, are still living in a two-bedroom residence despite all the council’s effort to find them more suitable accommodation.

This is just one of the 1,500 critical requests for affordable housing with which the council is dealing.

I have told members of the Kingsway community group that I will do what I can to assist them to make use of the community facilities which are already in the area. These could provide them with a meeting place, healthy living activities, recreational activities and whatever they require, within reason.

The Westbury centre would welcome the wider community. It is within reach and transport to get the less mobile there could be arranged.

The Brunswick Healthy Living Centre has a wide range of facilities and, again, transport for the frail would be possible (a lot cheaper than building a new centre...).

So, when given the choice of trying to provide homes for young families and the elderly, or using extremely scarce resources to try to build a new centre, I know where my choice is: desperately needed homes. - Cllr Jane Knight, Brunswick Ward.