ianstone
09-24-2010, 03:19 PM
This is no longer a country fit for heroes just politicians, local as well as government. Shameful, shocking and obscene. They put there life on the line for faceless and spineless pen pushing wankers.
Soldier who served in Afghanistan refused council house 'for not being local while he was overseas'
By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
Last updated at 5:18 PM on 24th September 2010
Comments (193) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314918/Soldier-served-Afghanistan-refused-council-house-local.html#comments)
But Afghan family given a £1.2m house by their local authority
A father-of-two who served in Afghanistan has been denied a council house because he has not been living in his local area while serving in the forces.
Lance Corporal Craig Baker, 26, completed two tours of duty in the war-stricken region before he decided to leave the Army to spend more time with his sons.
But the former soldier, who grew up in Bracknell, Berkshire, has been denied a council property for his family because he 'does not have a local connection'. It is in sharp contrast to an Afghan family who were given a £1.2 million seven-bedroom house by their local authority just 30 miles away in 2008.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/24/article-1314918-0B54D17A000005DC-187_468x601.jpg Lance Corporal Craig Baker pictured in Afghanistan in 2006. The former soldier has been denied a council house because he has not been living in his local area while serving in the forces
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/24/article-1314918-0B54D4BA000005DC-989_468x337.jpg The former soldier decided to leave the Army to spend more time with his family
L/ Corp. Baker claims he and his young family - wife Anna, 25, and their two boys, aged five and two - have been let down by Bracknell Forest Council.
And he accused the local authority of discriminating against him because of his service background.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/24/article-1314918-0B547075000005DC-181_233x423.jpg Unable to find a property, the ex-serviceman has also been unable to find work. He was forced to sign up for the Jobseekers' Allowance
The former soldier said: 'Bracknell Forest Council has let us down from the start. We don't want any special treatment, we just want fair treatment and are not getting it.
'We have tried to help ourselves and all we ask is for a little bit of help but they have turned their back on us.
'We have been fobbed off by the Bracknell housing options team. I believe this is partly due to incompetence and partly due to discrimination because I am an ex-soldier.
'I grew up in the area, my parents live in the area and my wife Anna is from the area. But because I've lived in different military areas for short periods I am not local to anywhere.
'It's me, my wife and two children sleeping on an airbed in my parents' home. Life after leaving the Army is far from ideal.
'I left the Army to spend time with my two boys. I am hoping to become a truck driver.'
Mr Baker grew up in the Berkshire town and was educated at Easthampstead Park Community School. His wife Anna went to Brakenhale School in the town.
But the pair moved into Army accommodation at Wattisham Airfield, Ipswich, Suffolk, in November 2007.
AFGHAN FAMILY HAS £1.2MILLION HOME
In stark contrast, less than 30 miles away, an Afghan family has been given an imposing seven bedroomed £1.2 million property by their local authority.
The benefits system was no problem for mother-of-seven Toorpaki Saiedi who was revealed in 2008 to be living in a home that cost £150,000 pounds per year to rent.
The family, who lived in Acton, west London, and received £170,000 pounds per year in state handouts, had a 50-inch plasma screen television, Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 and plush silk furnishings.
Yet they moaned that they were too poor to afford Sky television.
Son Jawad said: 'When the council chose to put us here we did not say no. If someone gave you a lottery jackpot would you leave it?
'When I heard how much the council was paying I thought they were mad.'
Now unable to find accommodation, the ex-serviceman has also been unable to find work. He was forced to sign up for the Jobseekers' Allowance.
He has also been denied council support for a rental guarantee scheme which could have enabled him to move into a private property.
The former soldier would otherwise need someone earning at least £40,000 pounds per year to confirm the rent would be paid - a contact which he does not have.
Bracknell MP Dr Phillip Lee said he has launched an investigation into the case.
'I am happy to take up a case like this with the council, where someone has given service to this country,' he said.
Before he left the forces, Mr Baker, who also served in the Falklands, was a member of the 3rd Regiment of the Army Air Corps where he was employed as an arming and loading point commander.
He also prepared Apache helicopters for combat.
Simon Hendey, chief officer of housing for Bracknell Forest Council, denied that Craig Baker was discriminated against because he was a soldier.
'Bracknell Forest Council has recognised its duty to provide Mr Baker and his family a permanent home,' he said.
'For the interim period, the housing options team has been advising Mr Baker of all his short term options and he has determined which one best suits his family's need.
'The council provides housing in a way which ensures people with the greatest housing need are housed first.
'Mr Baker and his family have not been disadvantaged because he has served with the Armed Forces.
'We anticipate the family will be able find a permanent home which meets their needs by using the council's housing allocation system which both maximises choice for residents and ensures the most needy are housed first.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314918/Soldier-served-Afghanistan-refused-council-house-local.html#ixzz10TZDZNSa
Soldier who served in Afghanistan refused council house 'for not being local while he was overseas'
By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
Last updated at 5:18 PM on 24th September 2010
Comments (193) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314918/Soldier-served-Afghanistan-refused-council-house-local.html#comments)
But Afghan family given a £1.2m house by their local authority
A father-of-two who served in Afghanistan has been denied a council house because he has not been living in his local area while serving in the forces.
Lance Corporal Craig Baker, 26, completed two tours of duty in the war-stricken region before he decided to leave the Army to spend more time with his sons.
But the former soldier, who grew up in Bracknell, Berkshire, has been denied a council property for his family because he 'does not have a local connection'. It is in sharp contrast to an Afghan family who were given a £1.2 million seven-bedroom house by their local authority just 30 miles away in 2008.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/24/article-1314918-0B54D17A000005DC-187_468x601.jpg Lance Corporal Craig Baker pictured in Afghanistan in 2006. The former soldier has been denied a council house because he has not been living in his local area while serving in the forces
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/24/article-1314918-0B54D4BA000005DC-989_468x337.jpg The former soldier decided to leave the Army to spend more time with his family
L/ Corp. Baker claims he and his young family - wife Anna, 25, and their two boys, aged five and two - have been let down by Bracknell Forest Council.
And he accused the local authority of discriminating against him because of his service background.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/24/article-1314918-0B547075000005DC-181_233x423.jpg Unable to find a property, the ex-serviceman has also been unable to find work. He was forced to sign up for the Jobseekers' Allowance
The former soldier said: 'Bracknell Forest Council has let us down from the start. We don't want any special treatment, we just want fair treatment and are not getting it.
'We have tried to help ourselves and all we ask is for a little bit of help but they have turned their back on us.
'We have been fobbed off by the Bracknell housing options team. I believe this is partly due to incompetence and partly due to discrimination because I am an ex-soldier.
'I grew up in the area, my parents live in the area and my wife Anna is from the area. But because I've lived in different military areas for short periods I am not local to anywhere.
'It's me, my wife and two children sleeping on an airbed in my parents' home. Life after leaving the Army is far from ideal.
'I left the Army to spend time with my two boys. I am hoping to become a truck driver.'
Mr Baker grew up in the Berkshire town and was educated at Easthampstead Park Community School. His wife Anna went to Brakenhale School in the town.
But the pair moved into Army accommodation at Wattisham Airfield, Ipswich, Suffolk, in November 2007.
AFGHAN FAMILY HAS £1.2MILLION HOME
In stark contrast, less than 30 miles away, an Afghan family has been given an imposing seven bedroomed £1.2 million property by their local authority.
The benefits system was no problem for mother-of-seven Toorpaki Saiedi who was revealed in 2008 to be living in a home that cost £150,000 pounds per year to rent.
The family, who lived in Acton, west London, and received £170,000 pounds per year in state handouts, had a 50-inch plasma screen television, Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 and plush silk furnishings.
Yet they moaned that they were too poor to afford Sky television.
Son Jawad said: 'When the council chose to put us here we did not say no. If someone gave you a lottery jackpot would you leave it?
'When I heard how much the council was paying I thought they were mad.'
Now unable to find accommodation, the ex-serviceman has also been unable to find work. He was forced to sign up for the Jobseekers' Allowance.
He has also been denied council support for a rental guarantee scheme which could have enabled him to move into a private property.
The former soldier would otherwise need someone earning at least £40,000 pounds per year to confirm the rent would be paid - a contact which he does not have.
Bracknell MP Dr Phillip Lee said he has launched an investigation into the case.
'I am happy to take up a case like this with the council, where someone has given service to this country,' he said.
Before he left the forces, Mr Baker, who also served in the Falklands, was a member of the 3rd Regiment of the Army Air Corps where he was employed as an arming and loading point commander.
He also prepared Apache helicopters for combat.
Simon Hendey, chief officer of housing for Bracknell Forest Council, denied that Craig Baker was discriminated against because he was a soldier.
'Bracknell Forest Council has recognised its duty to provide Mr Baker and his family a permanent home,' he said.
'For the interim period, the housing options team has been advising Mr Baker of all his short term options and he has determined which one best suits his family's need.
'The council provides housing in a way which ensures people with the greatest housing need are housed first.
'Mr Baker and his family have not been disadvantaged because he has served with the Armed Forces.
'We anticipate the family will be able find a permanent home which meets their needs by using the council's housing allocation system which both maximises choice for residents and ensures the most needy are housed first.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314918/Soldier-served-Afghanistan-refused-council-house-local.html#ixzz10TZDZNSa