Suffolk council's cuts may make 700 people homeless

It will be the "worst thing" to affect housing in Suffolk in 20 years, according to one housing officer quoted in the Suffolk County Council meeting on Thursday.

However, the council cabinet member responsible for adult care said that there were some inaccuracies in the points that were raised.

Suffolk County Council is proposing to remove £1million from the housing related support budget during the financial year 2024/25, followed by a further £2m in 2025/26.

Councillor Beccy Hopfensperger (Image: Suffolk County Council)

Housing related support is also expected to be cut - a temporary housing scheme for people in the care of Suffolk's social and children's services.

During the public questions section of the meeting, David Beavan, East Suffolk councillor for Southwold, Walberswick and Reydon, raised the issue.

Mr Beavan said: "My head of housing told me that if these cuts happen, they will be the worst thing to happen in her 20 years of working in housing in Suffolk.

"Seven hundred people will lose their homes, 400 people on the waiting list will lose their homes.

"Can we not please just delay these cuts until we can sit down and work our way of saving these beds?

"We're talking about people's lives here."

Beccy Hopfensperger, Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for adult care, responded that she had "absolute sympathy" for the comments made.

"There are some inaccuracies there, but we won't go into that now," Mrs Hopfensperger said.

She added that a council letter, which Suffolk County Council leader Matthew Hicks wrote to leaders of the district and borough councils, explains the responsibilities of the various councils around housing related support.

"We will continue to work collaboratively for the best of the people of Suffolk," she added.