'He's banging his head because there is no room'

A woman said it was "the hardest thing ever" living in one room with her nine-month-old baby.

Paige Whybrow, 30, has been living in a block of social housing flats in Harlow town centre, Essex, for two years after moving out of a women's refuge.

She is one of 5,704 households currently seeking council accommodation in the district.

Both the Conservatives and Labour are pledging more council housing in the run-up to the local elections.

Ms Whybrow, who was born and grew up in the town, has one room with a double bed and a cot attached to it. The kitchen is in the same room and she has a small shower room with a toilet.

Other families are living in the complex and some have been sent there by London local authorities.

"With a baby it is hard work, because sometimes he wants to play, but he can't play," she said.

"He can play down on the floor and obviously I have floor mats down, but he's in the kitchen. What am I meant to do?

"He's banging his head because there is no room."

She said she was "not asking for a house, or a garden", but a two-bed flat. She has been bidding on council properties, but has had no luck.

Harlow Council said it did not currently place households at the housing block where Ms Whybrow lived.

Families at the Messy Mayhem playgroup said housing would be a factor in how they voted in the local council elections on 2 May.

"It's a major issue that we haven't got enough housing for our children who have been born and bred in Harlow," said childminder Karen Waite, who has lived in the town for 35 years.

"I've got a 28-year-old and a 22-year-old and they are both struggling to find housing, to an extent that my daughter is looking to buy a house up north".

Ms Waite's colleague Alison Williamson, 58, agreed.

"Developments in the town are really crucial," she said.

She said her daughter moved to Cambridgeshire because it was "much, much cheaper - they couldn't afford to buy properties here".

According to Zoopla, the average property price in Harlow was £323,457.

Ms Williamson said: "Having previously been a council property tenant myself, I do think it is extremely important.

"Probably one of the biggest things that is needed is more social housing for the younger generation."

Emma MacDonald has been on the housing list for seven years, but has not been actively bidding.

She rents privately with her husband and two boys, paying £900 a month. Their youngest shares a room with them.

To get a property with another bedroom, she said it would cost an extra £400 a month.

Ms MacDonald said: "People who have lived here all their lives, worked here all their lives in Harlow; it should be a priority that they have council housing".

Harlow's Dan Swords, 23, is the youngest council leader in England.

He said housing was "one of the biggest issues at this election".

Mr Swords said his administration had "the biggest council home building programme in a generation in Harlow", investing £120m into improving and building new council homes.

He said local residents were being prioritised for social housing.

Labour hopes to retake control in the council elections on 2 May.

Chris Vince, the Harlow Labour group leader, said: "We need to be able to provide affordable homes for Harlow residents and the next generation of Harlow people as best we can.

"That may mean building more council houses. It may actually mean buying more houses on the open market."

The Liberal Democrats have three candidates standing in the district, while the Green Party has 24 standing.

Local Green Party chairwoman Yasmin Gregory said it would look at "rent capping" to control housing costs.

A full list of candidates standing in Harlow can be found on the council website.

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