The local MP was speaking after new figures showed West Sussex as one of the repositories of a growing trend of ‘out-of-London’ placements pushing up rents and taking away social housing that would otherwise be available for local people.
One hundred and thirty five whole households - likely to involve far more people - had been moved from London to West Sussex and this is likely to be an underestimate as data is only partial and only covers councils themselves rather than the Home Office and other agencies.
A recent report published in The Telegraph (May 21) reveals that in the last 5 years, almost 15,000 social housing applicants have been placed outside of the capital. This is because London has repeatedly failed to meet its own housebuilding targets.
According to the Mental Health Foundation, approximately 62.5% of homeless individuals experience substance misuse issues, encompassing both drug and alcohol dependencies.
London borough councils have also bid for and won the leases to housing sites located well outside of the capital in which to house its own tenants.
Andrew Griffith issued a stark warning for councils in West Sussex.
He said: “West Sussex district councils must ensure that local social housing provision meets local needs first.
“The Mayor of London’s failure to build should not be a reason why local social housing places are lost, an excuse for local people having to endure long waits for social housing or why green fields in our rural county are built on because of inflated housing numbers reflecting the failings of other councils.
“Moreover, with research showing homeless people are more likely than not to have substance abuse issues it is wholly wrong to place them in rural locations with limited access to adequate healthcare. It’s not good for them and it’s not good for the community they are placed into.”