Private rent problem

After all the correspondence about council housing that has appeared in the Swindon Advertiser over the years I find it staggering that Brian T. Bradbury Pratt remains so ill-informed about the subject, (History of right to buy, SA March 7). I can assure him that responsibility for upkeep of council housing has never been a problem for councils who are prepared to employ the appropriate staff to discharge the functions they are elected to perform. If he is implying that any part of the cost of council housing becomes a financial burden on the electorate then he is mistaken. As a municipal accountant responsible for housing from the mid-1960’s on I can assure him that council housing costs are met by rent income. To charge them to the general rate fund, (now the council tax), would be illegal. The real public cost of housing today arises from the high levels of housing benefit payable to the poor unfortunates living in over-priced private rented accommodation.

I also dispute his claim that siblings simply took over the tenancy of an ageing parent. Certainly, there were instances where a tenancy was granted to a child, or more rarely a grandchild, who had spent many years residing in a council dwelling, often as a carer. However, there was no automatic right to take over a tenancy and it didn’t happen often. Compare that to today, when any Tom, Dick or Harry can fund the purchase of granny’s house. When granny dies, the house then becomes a nice little earner for the new owner on the costly private rented market; often housing a homeless person off the council waiting list supported by housing benefit.

I turn now to his risible claim that right to buy was intended to improve the supply of public housing stock. I recall having a conversation with the leader of the Conservative Group on Thamesdown Borough Council in 1984. He quite openly admitted that it was the Thatcher Government’s view that “house owners vote Tory while council tenants vote Labour”. He looked forward to the day when the housing market became so distorted that we would have a permanent Conservative Government. Well, we have gone a long way to realising his dream. There are only 1.6 million council homes left in England to meet the needs of a population of 22.9 million households. So rather less than seven families in every hundred are living in council accommodation. Self evidently the result of the 2016 General Election didn’t live up to his expectations of overwhelming Tory support.

Finally, in the 70’s and 80’s waiting times were quite short in Swindon. As a key worker with a young family I got a three bed in Shaftesbury Avenue in four weeks. Less than a year for other families was not unusual, while long term ex-servicemen were housed almost as soon as they were discharged. Now we have people sleeping in doorways and more than one local authority are housing people in shipping containers, while polystyrene boxes are also being considered.

Don Reeve

Horder Mews

Old Town

Time to accept vote

The Remainers keep telling the Brexiteers they do not know what they voted for.

Do the Remainers know what they voted for? They must have a fantastic crystal ball if they do. Can they give me the lottery numbers for next week?

I think it is about time for the Remainers to accept the vote, that the majority voted to leave. Lets get together and stop this arguing and make Britain great again.

The 18 and 19 year olds are now saying they want to vote because they were to young in 2016 and its their future,

Well what about the 16 and 17 year olds now?They could say that they want a vote now,

Now you can see how silly this is becoming. I voted to leave and I want a no deal Brexit.

Gary Darling

West Swindon