Tempers simmer in Torbay housing debate

Lib Dems blame old Tory regime

Tempers almost boiled over during a council debate about Torbay’s housing crisis on Thursday.

Torbay Council declared a crisis in 2021, and now has around 1,600 households needing housing in the area.

The government requiresTorbay to deliver 720 new homes a year, although it is currently averaging less than half that, just 343.

At a cabinet meeting on Thursday [23 February] council leader Cllr Steve Darling (Liberal Democrats, Barton with Watcombe) aimed his fire firmly at Torbay’s previous Conservative leadership for not having a housing department, and allegedly taking money out of the housing budget to fund capital projects such as the Riviera Centre.

“I think it was often said by [former prime minister] David Cameron and [former chancellor George] Osborne that the labour government had crashed the economy,” Cllr Darling said. “Well, whether that’s true or not, whether it’s economics, that’s up to historians to decide.

“But when you look at the housing situation in Torbay, I would say that particularly the previous two terms of Conservative-led administration had crushed the housing approach in Torbay. Then they dismantled the car and hid certain elements of what makes up the vehicle all over a field.

“So, the reality is that over the last few years we have been pulling the vehicle that delivers affordable housing back together again in Torbay.”

Temperatures were beginning to rise.

Cllr Andrew Barrand (Cockington with Chelston) referred to his recent criticism of housing providers’ standards. The Tory councillor argued that Cllr Darling must take responsibility for Torbay’s failures in recent years.

The Conservatives lost control of the council in 2019 when the post of elected mayor was abolished.

“When I raised this at the previous meeting, the leader was quite dismissive that there were things in place to deal with making the housing associations do these repairs,” he said. “Well, only a couple of days later it was in the national news in Torbay – houses that were in such a dire state.

“Do you still agree that there are enough actions being taken by this council, bearing in mind you have actually been in control for four years now? Four whole years. What have you done to hold these housing associations to account.

“Are we not allowed to raise these concerns? Are we meant to leave you in this room of eutopia where your council is doing everything it can and it’s all about nasty government?

“Well to be fair, four years in, and things are still as bad as they were. You should be ashamed that you’ve not held these people more to account.”

The target for affordable homes by the end of the coming financial year is 50. This is a reduced aim from the 180 that several councillors felt was not realistic.

In the 2022-23 financial year, which ends next month, Torbay has delivered just 15 affordable homes.

“Are you not therefore ashamed that you’ve not got anywhere near those targets?” asked Cllr Barrand, before Cllr Darling hit back.

“I think putting words in my mouth and suggesting that I was being dismissive is unacceptable because that is not portraying what I was stating there,” he said.

The targets for housing form part of the council’s proposed budget for 2023-24, which the full council will voted on next month.