When Government Headlines Don't Match The Small Print
News that Carlisle City Council are in line for a £100 million government handout for new housing builds has been well received in the city after the recent flood left many areas of the city in ruins. However, the announcement by Housing Minister Caroline Flint is maybe not as generous as it sounds if you check the small print.
True, there is £100 million for the council to use but they will only receive a fraction of that immediately in order to allow a review of the city's needs and planning applications. The minister has revealed that it could take more than a decade for the new homes to be completed, with many speculating that the £100 million announcement is very much a public relations stunt.
Carlisle has been a city crying out for help for the past two years with many homes hit by the flood still not fit for purpose. Many people were able to claim off their insurance but this has not solved the shortage of property in the region. Quite how, when and where these proposed new homes will be built remains to be seen but if the pace of local government / central government action in the past is anything to go by those unable to return to their homes will not have to repack their belongings for some time yet!
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