Legal News
Oxford Green Party argues against right to buy scheme (27 November 2013)
Date: 27/11/2013
The right to buy scheme is not working and “should be scrapped” in Oxford according to Green Party councillor Sam Hollick after the latest figures showed that there are now thousands of people on the housing register in the city.
Mr Hollick said on Monday that the local authority should be able to use the Sustainable Communities Act to end the right to buy scheme, which allows council tenants to buy their homes, as it has depleted the stock by 23 houses during the calendar year so far. There are currently 4,522 people on the register, with 62 of those classed as 'top priority' as they require urgent housing.
However, Labour councillor Scott Seamons said that the Green idea was “hopelessly naive” and that building new houses was the only way of solving short and long-term shortages in the area. He added that the council had recently green lit plans to build a further 600 affordable homes in Oxford.
Oxford City Council board member, Mr Seamons, admitted that the current scheme could have a “negative effect on the city's communities and our ability to provide affordable housing.” However, he said that the government was fully committed to it and that there was “little or no hope” for any changes in the near future.
Tenants can currently get discounts amounting up to £75,000 when buying their homes under the Right to Buy programme that was launched by the coalition government in 2012.
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