The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
‘End ethicAlly wrong business model!’ - council cAlls for Action
Leader wants St Michael’s Gate evictions to not be repeated
Never again! That is the message from Peterborough City Council as it bids to prevent another “ethically wrong” episode like the one unfolding at St Michael’s Gate. After public anger at the evictions of families from 74 homes at the estate in Parnwell, council leader Cllr John Holdich has writtentothe Local Government Association chairman Lord Gary Porter to lobby for the issue to be addressed nationally.
The tenants at the homes are being evicted by Stef & Philips, with the council then paying the housing firmnear- ly £1 million a year to use the properties as temporary accommodation for the city’s large homeless population.
The decision to sign a contract with Stef & Philips, first revealed by the Peterborough Telegraph drew plenty of outrage, and last night St Michael’s Gate residents and supporters were protesting outside the Town Hall.
A petition against the Stef & Philips deal was then due to be debated by councillors in the council chamber.
Senior council officersand Conservative cabinet members have always insisted that the tenants would be evicted regardless of what they did, and that if it did not do a deal then London boroughs would use the homesfortheir homeless instead.
Now, Cllr Holdich wants to stop the St Michael’s Gate episode from ever happennig again. He wrote to Lord Porter: “We believe that the local governmentsectorshouldnot be forced into a position similar to our own where we have nocontrol over the eviction of manyofourownhouseholds.”
The council leader also turned his fire on Paul Simon Magic Homes, the company which owns the St Michael’s Gate properties.
Stef & Philips is themanaging agents for the homes.
Cllr Holdich wrote: “Although we acknowledge that Paul Simon Magic Investments Ltd have not technically acted outside the law, their business model is in our opinion ethically wrong and is counter to a council’s role to ensure the wellbeing of its population.”
For a report on last night’s protest and petition, visit www. peterboroughtoday. co.uk/.