Uproar at housing meeting

PENZANCE families are afraid to let their children out to play after 11 houses for people with drug and alcohol problems were opened across town without public consultation.

Hundreds of angry residents attacked the district council scheme, raising this point and others, at a special meeting on Tuesday evening.

The Cornishman's request for a list of addresses to be made public was refused. A council spokesperson said it is being addressed under the Freedom of Information Act.

The special town council meeting was held to answer questions about the shared housing scheme, run by Penwith District Council and Providers of Accommodation and Support, (PAS).

PAS works with the council's housing team to run shared houses for single, homeless people, with the aim of helping vulnerable individuals back into independent living. The properties are leased to the council by Charles Terrence Estates, (CTE).


There are 11 houses in Penzance within the PAS scheme, which homes people who can prove a local connection, and who are free of drugs and dry of alcohol. Nine properties are shared houses and two have self-contained flats.

A total of 25 houses have been found, but the remaining 14 are used for families or are sub-let.

Enraged audience members continually interrupted the panel of council officers, PAS representatives and police.

Council officers and support workers defended the scheme, although they admitted there are problems. They said they were going to work to improve things... more>