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The homeless way is Essex

April 07 2015
Westminster buys temporary accommodation an hour's journey from the borough
London’s flagship city council has bought temporary accommodation in Essex, over an hour’s journey from the borough, to add to a growing portfolio of emergency accommodation outside London, it has been revealed.

Under the deal, Westminster Community Homes, acting on behalf of Westminster City Council, has bought 25 homes in Grays, Essex, to use for homeless people on its waiting list.

According to a report released on 9 March by the City of Westminster, the council currently owns around 100 temporary accommodation properties outside London, “principally in Essex”.

More property purchases are planned too, though the council has not yet confirmed the locations under consideration.

The move is partly blamed on a ‘cap’ introduced by London councils last year that limits the cost of accommodation booked on a nightly basis – saying, “there are insufficient properties available at the capped rates to meet demand.”

According to the LabourWestminster blog, the cost of the 25 properties is over £3.6million.

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