Please help.... Squaddies On the Streets after Serving Country!!!

[dreko07]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

That reply from Cameron is awful...Even Tony Blair could have done a better job.

It sounds a bit like when you call a help line and they keep telling youve got the wrong department.

sad,

if DC is like this now, while trying to build his popularity the mind boggles as to what he could become as PM

[Hitback]

I have read Mr Camerons Mini Manifesto on the Armed Forces and the help service personnel and their families need with housing etc. Some of whats in the document cover information I gave to Mark Harper Shadow Defence Minister on my last visit to the HoC. However they did miss out the TA soldiers, which I was very shocked by.

I'm not trying to **** off any Party but they should looking after our armed forces and veterans. On another site a user spoke about the Housing they live in (Service Family Housing). This person explained that the SFA's that where handed back to Annington were done up beforehand, but the homes they live in and pay rent for have mould on the walls and damp throughout.

This is the shocking truth about how we are regarded by our political masters. There for their dirty work and nothing else.

Hitback

[Hitback]

We now have 225 MPs signed up to EDM 288. My MP Mrs Nadine Dorries will be asking some more questions in the HoC when Mr Brown takes over Office. Last night on the national news, there was a story about the lack of housing in this country. Is there any wonder with the influx of EU people coming here!

I would have to say, they require to close the doors to this country and then address the shortage of housing stock. Bloody Labour Party, they can't govern themselves let alone a country!!!!!


Hitback

[Hitback]

A person from the ARRSE site has been able to get me a meeting with Nick Harvey MP and Bob Russell MP from the Lib Dems. A big thank you to that person, I shall not name but they know who they are.

I have been been in touch with the PA to Nick Harvey MP. I have emailed some information over to her as well as the date inwhich I can visit the HoC. I shall cover the homelessness legislation with BoB Russell and Nick Harvey and other issues affecting service personnel on leaving the forces.

I will keep you updated on the meeting.

Regards

Hitback
_________________

Thanks for the updates Hitback..keep swinging away at them..

[Hitback]

To all those that have been helping with this campaign, make sure you get the Sun Newspaper tomorrow. Well done and thank you.

Regards

Hitback

Originally Posted by Hitback

To all those that have been helping with this campaign, make sure you get the Sun Newspaper tomorrow. Well done and thank you.

Regards

Hitback

Can I ask why...I've not bought the Sun for 30 years and I would need a VERY,VERY good reason to do so tomorrow.

[Hitback]

I'm still going to the HoC on the 2nd July to see the Shadow Defence Minister for the Lib Dems. There are many issue's that require to be addressed and Housing is only one of them!

I have to say I don't like the Sun Newspaper, so I will explain briefly.
The article was very small but I will look forward to Yvette Cooper announcing a change to 199(2)and(3) Local Connection Rule for seservice personnel and their families in the House of Commons today. The AFF were quoted as saying they're delighted with the announcement, just a pity they never pressed it through their contacts in Parliament!

Regards

Hitback

That's a good start..

[Hitback]

Incognitas,

The following will interest those following this issue. The cheque has been signed But not cashed, so please keep up the pressure by emailing your MPs asking them to support EDM 288.

Regards
Hitback




Communities and Local Government News Release
Fairer social housing rules for service personnel


Communities and Local Government News Release 2007/0119

21 June 2007

Government puts service personnel on a level playing field for council housing

Service personnel leaving the UK Armed Forces should soon find it easier to get a council house following changes to the way social housing is allocated. Housing Minister Yvette Cooper today announced that the Government will amend the law to ensure service personnel are put on an equal footing with other people when applying for social housing.

Existing legislation allows local councils to take into account whether applicants have a local connection when prioritising applicants for social housing.

The legislation can put serving personnel at a disadvantage, as it is not possible for them to establish a local connection with an area through residence or employment when serving in the Armed Forces.

A recent small scale study of 17 local councils carried out by Communities and Local Government found that there were regional differences in how service personnel looking for social housing are treated.

Housing Minister Yvette Cooper said:

“It’s right we provide our servicemen and women with the best possible support as they move back to civilian life.

“The service our Armed Forces give to their country must not place them at any disadvantage when applying for a council house.

“We are closing this loop-hole which has led to some former service personnel facing an uphill battle getting access to social housing.”

Derek Twigg, Minister for Veterans, said:

“I have been determined to resolve this disadvantage that members of the Armed Forces have been experiencing in accessing social housing.

“The MOD and Communities and Local Government have worked closely together to address this issue. The Government’s decision to change the legislation at the earliest opportunity will ensure that service leavers are not treated differently to other applicants.

“This further underlines the Government’s determination to help veterans and service personnel.”

The Government will make the necessary changes to housing legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Local councils in England are responsible for framing their own policies and procedures for allocating social housing.
Notes to editors

1. The definition of local connection is provided in legislation - S199 of the Housing Act 1996. A person has a local connection with a local authority district if he has a connection because of normal residence of choice (previous or current); employment; family connections; or other special circumstances. Residence will not be of a person’s choice, nor will they be considered to be employed there, if serving in the Armed Forces.

2. Service personnel are subject to the same access rules as everyone else. Local authority lettings are based on need, with priority going to those in the greatest need who have waited the longest.

3. Housing authorities are required to have and to publish an allocation scheme for determining priorities and for defining the procedures to be followed in allocating social housing.

[Hitback]

Hi all, I've been off line for some time due to BT mucking up my Broadband home move. I will be back on line by Friday, I hope!

The visit to the HoC to meet with Nick Harvey went very well and I also managed to ambush Mark Harper in the Cafe. Dr L Fox was giving an interview to the BBC so I was unable to get to talk with him. I will be placing a detailed report on what we spoke about, in the next couple of day's.


Regards

Hitback

[joglynne]

Hitback. As discussed. I received a reply yesterday to my March '07 e-mail to my MP Beverley Hughes. A copy of the reply she received from Des Browne Ministry of Defence, (dated 18th June '07) is now attached below.

Extracts from letter.>> <snip>according to Section 199 of the Housing Act 1996, service in the Armed Forces does not qualify as living or working in the area through residency and/or choice. The MOD is working in conjunction with the Department for Communities and Local Government to explore the issues surrounding local connection for Service personnel. Working together, our intention is to try and ensure that Service personnel are not unfairly disadvantaged by dint of their military Service. An announcement should be made shortly.
<snip>
A long Service Avance of Pay is available, which consists of an interest-free loan of up to £8,500.
<snip>
For those based in areas where housing is more costly - such as London, the East and the South East - the MOD has negotiated Key Worker status.<snip>

Slightly OT.I have received from the Royal British Legion thanks for supporting the campaign and an invitation to participate in a new campaign called Broken Covenant.

However, I am also asking if you want to sign up to our next campaign. The Broken Covenant campaign, which will go public later in the year, will address the growing sense of disillusionment amongst service personnel and veterans about their treatment by the state. It will focus on medical treatment and compensation.

Personally I have been horrified not only by some of the stories that have been told to me and that I have read about the present system of medical treatment for returning servicemen from Iraq and Afghanistan but by the fact that one perfectly good MOD hospital Haslar has been closed here on the South Coast and that servicemen are finding themselves isolated in NHS Hospitals.
It is a fact that war injured and mentally scarred servicemen get better quicker if they are in the company of other servicemen who have also undergone similar experiences.NHS Staff may not be able to offer the same insights and attention that MOD medical staff can.Also governments have repeatedly been silent about Gulf War syndrome and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among returning and retired MOD staff.

So if any of you have received this email I hope you will agree to offer to join the campaign.

http://www.brokencovenant.org.uk/

[Hitback]

The 8.5k is not an interest free. only the first 5k is. I was reading with interest the other day, that the government stated that 1 in 100 houses from the social sector is occupied by Immigrants. In fact it's 1 in 25 that is occupied by immigrants. The grand total of 200,00 out of a staock of less than 1 million. As we can see the Government has its priorities sorted out!!!!!!

Beds on sunday report by Nadine Dorries.
http://www.bedsonsunday.com/bedsonsu...06283#comments

[Hitback]

My meeting with Nick Harvey MP, went well and the points I covered are below.

1. The JSHAO requires to cover a greater area. This can be done by attaching a team to the CDT group. They visit all military location in a year.

2. The LSAP is not a tax free loan at all, only the first 5k is the rest is paid back with interest.

3. MoD Nomination Scheme is over stretched and is unable to manage with the large numbers requiring housing. All you have to do is look at their waiting lists.

4. The KWS (Key Worker Scheme) is the governments shallow view on this very important issue. There are many service personnel that would love to get onto the Housing Ladder but are unable to get the deposit or afford the repayments. This scheme was also offered to civil servants at five times the number of service personnel permitted, WHY?

There will be some tabled questions on this area very soon, also how many service personnel have used the KWS in relation to civil servants!!!

5. The Homelessness Legislation Amendment of (2002) Vulnerable peoples act is a white wash. The wording is key to its failure or should I say spin. Specific Consideration. This word means to look at but not having to act upon its findings.

6. In a letter dated 9th May 2006. The Government believed only a small amount of service leavers find it hard to get housing. I believe the Government requires to open its eyes and its ears, and listen and look twice as hard as it talks. Only 9% of other ranks and 18% of Officers with in the Army own their own property. In a Continuous Attitude Survey 37% of responding Officers and 48% other ranks were either fairly or very dissatisfied with their prospects for buying or even renting a house.

7. The area of single service leavers hasn't been touched upon by any of the Political Parties. I believe if RSL's allowed group tenancies controlled by Forces Charities this would go a long way in helping single soldiers back into civilian life. I will be putting together a detailed plan of how this would work. If you are interested then please contact me.

Annington Homes Plc was covered in detail and some questions will be asked, I'm sure of that.

1. The profit shared agreement. 1996 - 2004 the Chancellor made 100 million whilst service personnel only got 1% for every full 10 years served!
a. Why is the profit not being used to off set a greater discount for service leavers?
b. Why are service tenants not being given first refusal of properties they once rented?
c Why is the MoD repairing property that is to be handed back to Annington Homes. Whilst service families and single personnel live in run down holes. Annington have stated that they invest on average 15k per property before placing them on the market. So what bloody state are these house's in and why should service personnel have to live in them.

2. What happened to the 1.6bn the properties were sold for?

3. The selling on of military locations has nothing to do with the restructure of the Brigades etc. It all has to do with the Profit Shared Agreement (PSA) and the governments contract to regenerate labour seats around the country. The (PSA) ends in less than 5 years time. After this date the government will receive nothing from Annington Homes Plc. These are my views on why we are getting super garrisons.


Regards

Hitback