Sale of council homes has led to today's shortage (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Sale of council homes has led to today's shortage

4:35pm Wednesday 5th November 2008 in Epping Forest

I AM responding to the letter in last week’s Guardian about the council's housing stock. Cllr Philip is mischievously misrepresenting the Liberal Democrat councillor's meaning.

The Conservative's Housing Act 1980 brought in the Right to Buy legislation.

This has resulted in the sale of over 6,000 of the council’s housing properties.

Seventy per cent of these are houses. Presumably, the tenants regarded these as the best and most desirable properties. That does not mean that the remaining properties are poor. I was chairman of the overview and scrutiny (community) committee when the Government was trying to persuade tenants to change landlords and leave local authorities. Many did, but not in Epping Forest where the tenants voted strongly to remain tenants of the council. This shows that the council’s efforts to provide decent housing and good service is recognised. The sale of so many houses has, however, created a shortage. The council now has only 6,600 properties and there are 4,300 people on the housing register.

The council has for many years given land free to housing associations to build properties so that is another source of social housing in the district but the shortage remains.

Councillor Janet Whitehouse, Liberal Democrat councillor, Epping Hemnall ward.

l Letters must include the full names and addresses of those writing in. We can leave out these details if requested.