Door slammed on teachers, health workers and the police

5.38.52pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 2nd Dec 2004

Chris Maines has slammed Bromley Tories for attempting to remove commitments to key worker housing

Bromley Tories have tried to remove a commitment to find housing locally for key workers from the Borough's Community Plan at last Monday's Council meeting.

The plan had highlighted the need for local employers to find staff who can afford to live in or nearby their place of work.

The document sets out a vision for Bromley over the next ten years it had been agreed by residents' groups, the voluntary sector and representatives of local employers who will now have to reconsider it with the change.

"This is a piece of right-wing silliness from Bromley Tories," says Liberal Democrat Cllr Chris Maines, "they believe property developers should have total freedom to build whatever they want. Everybody else accepts the need for a balanced community with a variety of housing."

"Left to the developers all new building will be expensive executive homes, at prices out of the reach of teachers, nurses and police officers. They will create a recruiting crisis for Bromley's public services and small businesses." explained Cllr Maines.

Key worker housing is an accepted provision throughout the London and the South East. Speaking at the meeting Conservative councillors claimed they did not accept the concept or understand the definitions.

"The Tories should think through what they are saying," says Cllr Maines. "This will impact on recruitment in our schools and hospitals, it will result in people on lower incomes having to travel further to work in Bromley, that will lead to extra congestion, parking problems and local business will be pushed out."