Call for early start to affordable homes bid

Shropshire Council's new allocation policy for affordable housing is due to come into force in January 2014 after it was unanimously backed at a full council meeting in Shirehall.

But Councillor Mal Price, portfolio member for housing, said he hoped the new rules – which give a preference to applicants with a local connection to Shropshire – would be brought in sooner than next year.

He said: "I want to pull this forward as much as we can."

A number of changes have been adopted in the new policy, including plans to set aside affordable housing for former soldiers with links to Shropshire.

Under the plans up to five per cent of properties for each partner landlord will be targeted for use by ex-members of the armed forces.

Meanwhile, priority will also be given to people who require altered homes while households with resources in excess of £63,000 will be given reduced preference on waiting lists.

There are also plans to introduce a new 'gold band' category to help people under-occupying social housing to move to smaller properties.

The measures have been introduced following the Government's controversial 'bedroom tax' which came into force earlier this month.

More than 2,000 people in Shropshire have been affected by the charges introduced to people living in under-occupied social housing.

Under the controversial tax, tenants on benefits have lost a percentage of their rent according to how many empty bedrooms they have in their properties.

Tenants under-occupying by one bedroom have received a 14 per cent reduction in their rent, while those under occupying by two bedrooms have seen a 25 per cent cut.

During last Thursday's full council meeting, councillor Liz Parsons criticised the Government policy which she claimed had unfairly penalised the parents of university students living away from home.

She said: "I would like to say how appalling this aspect is."