NEW JOBS AND NEW HOMES - LIB DEM PLAN TO TACKLE RECESSION

8.16.00am GMT Thu 19th Nov 2009

Hundreds of Bristol's empty homes could be refurbished by creating jobs for unemployed people, according to local Liberal Democrats.

Bristol faces a housing shortage and yet across the city hundreds, if not thousands, of potential homes lie empty because it has not been economical to repair them.

However Paul Harrod, Prospective Lib Dem MP for Bristol North West, wants to see charities and social enterprises creating jobs for long-term unemployed people to bring the homes back into use.

Paul Harrod, who founded the charity Aspire in Bristol, which creates work for ex-homeless people, said the upfront cost of creating the jobs would be paid for by the extra rents the new housing would offer.

"A scheme such as this would take more people off benefits and into work and give them valuable skills and training. At a time of recession we can not just try and match unemployed people to the few vacancies there are - we need to create new jobs."

Dr Mark Wright, who is Bristol City Council's executive member for housing, said it was an idea he had been considering and was keen to see developed further.

"I also want to see new apprentices given the opportunity to learn their trade repairing homes" said Dr Wright.

"We need more new homes in Bristol, and it could be better for empty homes to be brought back into use rather than new properties being built on our green spaces."