SQUATTERS NETWORK OF BRIGHTON PRESS RELEASE JANUARY 31 2012
We at the Squatters Network of Brighton are scratching our heads over Brighton and Hove Council’s policy on housing.
The Council-owned building on Albion Street is still rotting away after having had a group of people evicted from it over a year ago. The roof has been repaired, but all the windows are covered in Sitex metal shutters and the door is boarded up. Is there a plan for it? We haven’t heard of anything.
Last week, a cottage at 176c Ditchling Road was evicted by thugs, who smashed their way in using metal poles to break unprotected windows. We think these unnamed people were Council employees. A woman standing next to the window was covered in breaking glass and could have been badly injured. The County Court bailiffs (the only people legally allowed to use reasonable force) were standing back, watching. Four people were then arrested by the police, who also had been loitering outside, simply watching the violence unfold. Two people were immediately released and “allowed” to get some of their stuff out of their home, the two others were taken to Hollingbury police station and held for 14 hours, one without access to a real solicitor. They were then charged with the normal catch-all of “assaulting the police.” Plus swearing!
It’s doubtful these charges would stand up in court, just as with the three people arrested last week for burglary after squatting an empty house. Their alleged crime was later changed to ‘vagrancy’ (which shows that the police really were clutching at straws) before all three were released without charge, after being held for eighteen hours. Unfortunately, the police weren’t so eager to intervene the next day when a freshly squatted house was illegally evicted by three heavies who ended up throwing metal radiators out of windows at the squatters. Such things happen all the time in Brighton and no-one hears about them. We don’t have a very high opinion of Sussex Police but it does seem strange that they don’t actually follow the law, properly whereas squatters do.
Back to the cottage. It is council-owned and used to be temporary housing, consisting of four self-contained flats. It’s been empty for over two years, and now the bailiffs have smashed up the toilets and the windows. Why doesn’t the Council let people live in it? Does the Council actually have a plan for it at all?
Then there’s Ainsworth House, the squat that successfully resisted eviction before Christmas last month. Media stories helpfully pointed out that it had been empty for years and that there were plans for it, but no-one except the squatters suggested it might be better to let the twenty five people who made it their home live there over the festive season. Ainsworth now stands empty again. Soon to be redeveloped, hopefully, but why not provide short term leases for people to live there in the meantime? It worked in the 1980s with groups such as Trumpton, Lorgan and Watch This Space, and it would work again now. Instead, Ainsworth House is just another blot on another road. Like the building next door to it. And there are plenty of other empty buildings, just look around.
To us, it seems morally wrong to leave properties empty and unused. We support people who reclaim those homes. But even if you don’t agree with us there, surely the financial argument will convince you.
A Freedom of Information request in July 2011 asked the Council how much money was spent on securing empty properties against trespass. In one year, the Council spent a staggering £161,000 on those ugly metal plates. Further, it was unable to suggest a figure for the total amount of money wasted on the legal fees, bailiff costs and so on involved in evicting squatters. So here’s our suggestion – the squatters stay on a short term leases, maintaining the building through use. Then they leave when the building really is going to be demolished or redeveloped.
Contact:
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ENDS