Tory police chief wants holiday homes opened to key workers

The Police and Crime Commissioner for an area with thousands of holiday homes wants their owners to make them available to domestic abuse victims.

Conservative Alison Hernandez, PCC for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly says anyone with empty property in the region to make it available for key workers and victims of crime and play a key role in helping us to keep people safe.

“In Devon and Cornwall our economy absolutely depends on tourism, and this time of year usually marks the start of a period that sees us hosting more domestic visitors than any other area” she says.

“This year, unfortunately, the message is that coming here now will just put strain on essential services at a time when we least need it. The 1.7m residents of Devon and Cornwall will also be safer if people stay away.”

Hernandez says NHS and police workers are being moved around as part of the response to the Coronavirus crisis so could make good use of any empty holiday properties.

Julian German, leader of Cornwall Council, backs the call and says: “One of the ways that we can work with accommodation providers and they can help at this extraordinary time is by making that accommodation available to those in need and those on the frontline of the fightback against this crisis.”

Cornwall Council is among local authorities which has written to all holiday accommodation owners, letting agents and online booking platforms in its area who are not exempt to Covid-19 orders to ask for their cooperation in complying with orders to close that are designed to reduce travel.