MP meets military home providers over poor quality housing
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has met representatives from the key providers of repair and maintenance for military housing in Shropshire.
The meeting with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), the Pinnacle Group, and Amey PLC, comes after the MP had publicly raised the issue of poor-quality housing and maintenance for military families across the county.
One case in Shropshire saw Olympic skier Charlie Guest and her RAF pilot partner forced to go three weeks without running water and a further 10 days without heating following repeated delays to repairs.
Several families based both at RAF Shawbury and Tern Hill Barracks have contacted the MP after being left with damp and mould-ridden homes. Helen had raised the issue in Parliament and demanded better for military families before convening the meeting in Wem last week. This morning she tabled a parliamentary motion calling for the contractor’s Executive bonuses to be withheld until the service is sorted out
At the meeting she questioned managers about the process to improve maintenance standards for Shropshire’s service families, and to tackle the underlying issues of damp and mould associated with poor quality housing. Helen also received updates on specific cases raised by constituents.
Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said:
“Our military families deserve the very best. Sadly, the maintenance of their housing here in Shropshire and no doubt beyond has not been up to scratch for some time. We have to do better, and I am determined to campaign on this issue until we have a resolution.
“Meeting with representatives from the DIO, Pinnacle and Amey in Wem last week was a productive step to getting improved living conditions, both at Shawbury and across Shropshire. I’m pleased to see the issue being taken seriously but there is clearly still some way to go.
“I’d continue to urge anyone in a similar situation facing problems with their housing to get in touch with Pinnacle or to contact my office if they feel they have not been treated satisfactorily. We will take up every case and work hard to get it sorted out as soon as possible.”
