Cllrs Williams, Bowrah and Edwards with tenants in Wellington highlighting the tenants funds being sent to Government over the last three months

The Council is struggling to keep up with maintenance and general improvements to its houses. Liberal Democrat run Taunton Deane Borough Council have had to hand over £1,495,000 in housing subsidy over the last three months to the Government. This is about a quarter of everybody’s rent, i.e. about £15 per week (or £760 per year) straight from tenants’ pockets. 

Cllr Mark Edwards said, “This money would have replaced 300 kitchens or 600 bathrooms but because of the Liberal Democrats’ irresponsibility the treasury will now use it to improve houses in other parts of the country. We need this money to stay in Taunton and Wellington but this is not an option nor is it going to be. The Government have certainly made that quite clear in the recent Green paper.”

“I have challenged the Executive Councillor for Housing to tell me how they intend on paying for the improvements thought to be over £300 million needed in the coming years, but the lack of answers just proves they have no idea. We demand answers and sadly get silence.”

Cllr John Williams, the Conservative Leader at Taunton Deane said, “It is dreadful hearing senior Liberal Democrat councillors making excuses as to why they worked against the housing transfer which would have solved this financial crisis. Imagine what improvements this money could have been spent on, not only to the houses, but to enhance the environment around them, providing anti-social behaviour squads and improved safety.”

Peggy Jean Steel of the Wellington Tenants Forum said, “I just want what is best for the tenants of Wellington and presently it is very disappointing that we are not going to see the improvements that we could have had as such huge

amounts of our rent are being sent to the Government.”