Basildon Council considers buying homes in Dartford
The leader of the Dartford Council has described the decision as 'disturbing'
Basildon Council, in Essex, is considering to buy homes in Dartford.
It's to address, what they say, is an 'urgent need' for temporary accommodation. A spokesperson for the council said: “Basildon Council is exploring options to address the urgent need for temporary accommodation for our residents.
"The potential decision to purchase homes in Dartford is being considered based on availability, affordability, and suitability of the properties."
Although these homes are outside Basildon, this approach allows the council to reduce reliance on short-term, higher-cost housing options, ultimately aiming to provide better, more stable living conditions for families in need.
“The council is still in the process of evaluating the financial implications of this proposal. We understand concerns around the impact on local services in Dartford and are committed to supporting our tenants, including providing resources and assistance to ensure smooth integration into new communities.
"Additionally, we will work closely with local partners and authorities to address potential service impacts and to ensure that any move benefits both our tenants and the community."
However, the move has been criticised by the Leader of the Dartford Council, who has told he finds it 'disturbing'.
He said: "People in Basildon need support in their own borough. This is where these families have got their network, their GPs, their kids at school and the notion a council can pre suggest that this is a permeant solution for them is not good news at all.
"It would be a seismic change and if more and more councils do it, it will lead to a very slippery slope. All it would mean is people are being moved around the country and eventually someone will make the same decision and buy property in Basildon, so the whole thing is pretty pointless.