Sickened by the St Michael’s Gate saga

This week we report on theplight of Charlotte Robertson and her young son Ethan. They are currently residents of St Michael’s Gate but are soon to be evicted. The PT first broke the news of the plight of residents there in August last year. We have investigated the deal closely and campaigned - with the support of MPs and many others - to prevent similar deals like this taking place in the future. The property deal meant a firm that took over more than 70 properties evicted the tenants and made those properties available to Peterborough City Council to house homeless people on its housing waiting list - netting the landlords millions in rent. Evicting dozens of people to ease the homeless situation doesn’t get any more logical or acceptable - however many times we cover this story. This is not the first time I’ve commented on the St Michael’s Gate situation and it won’t be the last - the PT will continue to press this issue whenever and however we can. Personally, every time I read the words of those affected my blood boils. Charlotte Robertson has done nothing wrong. This week she found herself in court challenging her eviction from St Michael’s Gate – she lost and will have to leave the home she cherishes in November. She is terrified at the prospect that she may have to move into a hostel and she is very worried about getting her son to and from his current school in Paston when she has to move out. It seems the court could not help. Perhaps that is understandable because nothing illegal is taking place... but the way Charlotte and others like her have been treated is a long way from what most of us would recognise as justice. >Mark Edwards >@PT Mark Edwards