THE MP for Hendon is to table a Bill in Parliament tomorrow in a bid to give people living in sheltered accommodation more rights.

Andrew Dismore has put forward the proposed new legislation in a bid to prevent a repeat of the judicial review which happened at the end of last year.

Barnet Council lost the review of plans to cut scrap live-in wardens in a bid to save £400,000 which was called by vulnerable people living in sheltered housing.

Mr Dismore said: “This new Bill aims to provide a system to challenge local authority decisions which affect them, for example withdrawal of a warden service.

“Trying to do this through judicial review is expensive, time-consuming and uncertain. A better system would allow for independent review of decisions of councils such as Barnet.”

Under the Bill funding from central government for sheltered accommodation would also be ring-fenced to stop it being used for other services.

Mr Dismore added: “I hope that this Bill will address some of the main concerns of the residents who have been so badly affected by the decision of Barnet Council to cut the warden service, even though that has been quashed in the High Court.

“We have to see if Barnet Council accepts the decision or intends to proceed to an appeal. If it were to become law, my Bill would resolve these issues.

“Unfortunately, with the approach of the general election, there is little chance of the Bill proceeding all the way through Parliament, but this is an important opportunity to raise these issues, yet again, in the Commons, so as to highlight these serious concerns of sheltered accommodation residents.”

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