THURROCK Labour’s parliamentary Labour candidate, Polly Billington, has joined forces with Labour leader John Kent to criticise Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle Price after the outspoken MP criticised Thurrock Council’s plans to propose improvement opportunities for private renters.
Ms Billington said: “I did find it odd that Thurrock’s current MP chose to dismiss plans to improve the standard of private rented property in Thurrock.
“There are over 7000 families who rent privately in Thurrock constituency, and while buying a home becomes harder that number is likely to rise in the future. Those residents have as much right to expect decent standards of housing as anyone else.
“Labour councils across the country have been setting up registers of private landlords like Thurrock is doing. More than a third of privately rented homes don’t meet basic decent standards, so to argue that all those people should not be protected or have their housing improved seems to suggest the Conservative MP doesn’t have the interests of those people at heart.
“Labour does. Labour is arguing for longer leases and fairer rents so that people can raise their children and not worry about being kicked out or being forced to move because of extortionate rent rises.
“People will have a choice at next year’s election. Those who rent their homes privately cannot rely on the Conservatives to help them. Labour will”.
This women doesn’t seem to get it, she seems to think its all about cheap rents. She is obviously desperate with her cheap shots at JDP. Has anybody sat this women down and explained to her that the mould issues are real!! What is it she doesn’t understand. Well here we go, let a tenant explain to you as it is quite simple. Cheap rents do not harm your health, mould does. Let’s look at the history of TBC, tenants homes neglected for
twenty years leaving tenants with mould infested properties. Let me ask her how many young children of Thurrock are now Asthmatics due to their living conditions, how many adults are having serious health problems due to living with Toxic mould.
I find it incredible that a a women who wants to put herself up for election is so blinded by her own arrogance she cannot understand that, before you embark on the task of this new pilot scheme you must first get your own house in order. TBC have a duty of care to its tenants first, and until all homes are mould free and repairs are of a decent standard only then should new schemes be debated. I think miss Billington has misread JDP comments, or is it she is very limited in her thinking which we seem to find with her party. To say JDP does not care let me inform you madam that whilst this Labour run council and their Councillors denied that Toxic mould is a killer, JDP was the one that stood by her residents. So enough of your nonsense. Get on the ground and speak to your residents about the real issues
like I did yesterday, you and Kent may well have a shock. It is about the real issues and the only person I see that is onboard with her residents is JDP and her colleagues.
What the hell is Thurrock Council paying private landlords taxpayers hard earned money for. its the private landlords responsibility to pay for the basics that a tenant should need.
Why should I upgrade my tenants flats when thurrock labour will pay for it. I can keep more of the tenants money Nice one.
Polly you are seriously missing the point, so well put by snakebite. Thurrock Council have defective housing stock with a killer of a problem , namely BLACK MOULD. It is rife throughout certain areas of Thurrock and MUST be eradicated . I for one council tax payer do not feel happy that Thurrock council wil be putting me further into debt borrowing more money to replace kitchens and bathrooms in these homes WITHOUT first tackiling the mould problem. Put me in debt to find the cause and therefore the remedy for this problem and I will believe that you are lsitening and taking it seriously, and please do not think that your newly elected UKIP councillors are able or even willing to tackle this, to use a phrase used many times on issues of elected UKIP officials, “be careful what you wish for”.
Ms Billington conveniently omits to say that the Council proposes to spend money improving the homes of owner-occupiers, i.e. those who own their houses. As I pointed out in my blog, surely it is the responsibility of private landlords and home owners to finance improvements to their properties from their own resources. The Council, as a landlord, has enough on its’ plate improving the thousands of rented properties many of them containing asbestos and infected with damp and mould both of which are classed as category 1 hazards, and if ignored, could be a serious risk to the health and well-being of the occupants of such properties. During the 3 or 4 years since she was selected,, by means of positive discrimination, as the Labour Party prospective Parliamentary candidate Ms Billington has expressed little, if any, concern for tenants living in sub-standard council properties nor can I recall her ever having shown or given support to Mrs Lodges’ campaign to make people aware of the dangers of damp and mould in their homes, forcing, nay shaming, the Council into action to eradicate it. Could her comments above have little to do with concern for tenants but more to do with the fact she views it as a possible vote winner for her in the 2015 General Election? Be aware Ms Billington council tenants vote as well!