The issue comes as the council deals with over 1,700 households in temporary accommodation.
The topic was raised during a Bromley Council meeting on October 14. Lib Dem Councillor Sam Webber said he was referred to a case regarding an individual who had served in the Royal Navy for nine years.
Cllr Webber said: “I was referred to a case by another councillor in another borough for a resident of ours here in Bromley who is a veteran.
“He’s someone who has found himself homeless, a single dad bringing up a six year old daughter who now finds himself sleeping on the floor at his parents’ house in our borough. He’s lost his job and had various issues.”
The comments were made during a debate regarding the Government’s ‘homes for heroes’ scheme.
Labour Councillor Simon Jeal put forward a motion for the council to note the Prime Minister’s pledge to end homelessness for veterans, care leavers and victims of domestic abuse that he made at the Labour Party conference.
The motion also sought to support the Government’s plans to build 1.5 million new homes and for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to include measures in her budget for Bromley Council and other local authorities to build more social housing.
Cllr Jeal said the council currently had over 1,700 households which it was responsible for in temporary accommodation, with an increasing number being placed outside of the borough.
An amendment was proposed by Conservative Councillor Michael Tickner which removed the support for the new Government’s delivery of homes and the request for funding to provide more affordable housing. Cllr Tickner said the Conservative Group would amend or reject any ‘Labour nonsense’ that came its way.
The Conservative councillor said at the meeting: “Certainly, on this side, we very much welcome better housing arrangements for genuine service veterans – not those who were in the army for one day and were then kicked out, but genuine loyal service personnel who have served the defence of this country with honour and distinction. They deserve better treatment, and we support that.”
Cllr Tickner said care leavers and victims of domestic abuse were already prioritised in housing provision services.
Conservative Councillor Colin Hitchins said he was a veteran and the housing provision for those serving in the Armed Forces was still poor. He added that he felt the Government’s plans to deliver 1.5m homes was a ‘dream’.
Members of both the Lib Dem and Labour groups criticised the Conservative amendment, with Cllr Jeal claiming the inclusion of an incorrect title and a proposal to replace wording not in the original motion gave the impression it had been rushed and ill-thought-out.
He alleged that Cllr Tickner’s intention to distinguish between veterans who are deserving of housing was ‘appalling and shocking’.
Labour Councillor Chris Price said at the meeting: “We have met too many ex-service people who are homeless, have struggled with homes, have had mental breakdowns because of what they have gone through to defend us, and yet we are not planning on doing something and holding our account to it.”
Cllr Price said that the original motion was put forward to hold the new Labour Government to account and that the amendment was a political stunt.
Bromley Council voted at the meeting to carry the amended motion put forward by the Conservative Group.
