The murder of a woman and serious assault on a child at Imtech House in Woodthorpe Road will focus concern on a long standing - and deeply concerning - issue at the heart of the Ashford community.
As many will know , and has frequently been pointed out to Spelthorne Council, there are very serious concerns about the fitness or otherwise of this property for housing people. Nevertheless Spelthorne very recently were still stoutly defending their use of it to home people in need.
The police of course will be undertaking painstaking enquiries into the criminal aspects of the incident and must be allowed to get on with their vitally important work in peace. Spelthorne Council however must rapidly come up with answer to the following questions:-
* WHY despite being regularly informed of the unsuitability of the property have they continued to use it to house the homeless?
* WHAT action will they now take to rehome in more suitable accommodation the people still living there?
* WHAT will they do to ensure full assistance and care is offered to the 2 year old child now left without a mother/
* WHAT caretaking (and caretaker) arrangements are in place for the property?
Ashford residents can expect the Borough and its councillors to speedily arrange a public meeting so that the many local folk (including myself) who are concerned about the property and recent events can receive a full report on what is being done to address the manifestly important issues. Imtech House (and indeed Ashford generally) have been neglected for too long. This needs to come to an end.