Cheshire West and Chester Council leader Mike Jones blasts housing standards in Ellesmere Port

COUNCIL leader Mike Jones has condemned the quality of council housing in Ellesmere Port.

He said: “We inherited housing stock a third of which was below the Government’s decent homes standard.

“I was shocked at the state of the council houses in Ellesmere Port and the fact they were allowed to deteriorate into such a condition.

“People shouldn’t be allowed to live in houses in such poor condition. It is a disgrace.

“The most deprived communities are paying 30% tax on their rent directly to the Government.

“It should be used to invest in housing.

“It was negligent of the former Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council to allow the properties to deteriorate.

“£90m was invested in Chester housing and to my knowledge they have had few complaints and hardly any problems in Vale Royal too.

“We are carrying out a survey to assess the state of the housing in Ellesmere Port to see which option is best for the council to house residents and best way to invest and upgrade properties.”