Council grabs empty homes

Pressure caused by high demand for council housing is forcing Bournemouth Council to take up empty homes to address the problem.

Unoccupied homes are to be taken over by the council in efforts to resolve the rising housing demand caused by the recession.

Applications for council homes have soared to over 7,000 in recent months and the council says under the "empty homes strategy" more homes can be acquired to resolve the problem.

Cabinet member for Adult Services, Cllr Barry Goldbart says it's become necessary for the council to carry out this scheme as it risks being overstretched to provide more homes in the coming years.

He says a significant number of homes remain unused owing to falls in mortgage sales, bad tenant experience or as a second home not being used by the owner.

"It's logical to encourage owners to release such homes to local authorities so they could be rented out to people," said Cllr Goldbart.

Another way for the council to get new homes is under the Compulsory Purchase Order which according to the Cllr Goldbart, allows the council to buy the house off the owner at the market value.

"We are not winning due to the enormity of people applying for council housing," he admitted.

At the moment he says the council is relying on the 'Choice Based Letting' approach which uses a points system to allocate homes when they become available.

Also tenants with small families living in bigger homes are being encouraged to swap for available two bedroom houses so that theirs could be offered to bigger families on the waiting list.

Bookies beating recession

Betting offices say they are set to gain from rising unemployment caused by the credit crunch.
Manager at Betfred in Winton Daniel Williams said: "When people are jobless or have less money they turn to gambling."

He told Bournefree News: "Our main concern is how to make the most in the competition with other bookies and not the recession.’"

Mr Williams said his team make an average of 1,100 bets a week which he says is 10% less than what a rival team working for Coral collects.

Manager at Coral bookmakers Allan Smith said the lure of betting has meant the industry is able to keep its regular customers and can thrive during difficult times. He said: "People will always find money to fund a vice."

Betfred, which operates nearly 800 betting offices across the country, is employing more staff. Mr Williams said his hours have been cut to 40 per week as Betfred cuts back on overtime.

Management at Betfred are taking on new hands to cover extra shifts at starting wages to save money.

Manager of Betfred's Charminster branch Emma Blackburn said: "I am happy to have my job at reduced hours while others get employed than to be laid off."