Letter: Neglect is Par for the Course, It Seems

Published on: 25 Aug, 2024
Updated on: 25 Aug, 2024

Old Manor House, East Horsley. Photo: Clarke Gammon

From John Perkins

In response to: GBC Puts Mouldy East Horsley Manor House Up for Sale for £1.5 million

Neglect seems to be built in to councils. Difficult or boring issues disappear as Somebody Else’s Problem – an effect ably satirized by Douglas Adams [author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy].

I was raised in council housing and over time deterioration of the properties became increasing obvious. Nobody in the council cared much. Many residents took a personal pride in maintenance, though, in time fewer bothered and the results were visible.

The problem was part of the reasoning behind Margaret Thatcher’s Right-to-Buy policy, which I wholeheartedly supported at the time.

If it weren’t for the insistence that money raised from the sales could not be spent on new social housing, it might have worked. Instead councils frittered away (sorry, invested) the money and nobody else took advantage of the supposed opportunity to provide such accommodation. A terrible waste.