LEIGH Green Party has called on the council to throw open the doors to its empty houses and flats to the homeless.

The party says it wants the season of goodwill to extend to getting those thrown out of Christmas refuges to be given the chance to have a new home of their own.

Chris Maile, the party's Leigh agent, said: "While we want to send out a special message of praise to all those who gave up their Christmas break to care for the homeless, it is deeply concerned for the plight of so many being turned once more out onto the street when so many council properties stand empty."

He cited an example that in one council estate in Platt Bridge 15% of council homes stood empty while "at the same time hundreds sleep in the gutters."

He said he will be highlighting individual instances of council homes being kept deliberately empty while homeless numbers grow in the borough.

And he added that the Green Party found such cases intolerable and a clear indication of the change in the caring attitude of today's local government's compared to those of just 10 years ago.

Mr Maile went on: "We are no longer prepared to sit by and watch this situation continue.

"While we wish to see better protection of local residents from unsocial neighbours, this is not an excuse not to house those who are genuinely homeless and in need, especially when so many homes lay empty."

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