The suggestion in Letters 29th January that immigration is the reason for a council housing shortage is racist and ill informed. These are the lies that the BNP and other fascist parties use to divide communities who are all on the receiving end of poor policy.

The shortage in council housing is because consecutive governments and councils have sold housing stock without replacing it. The shortage puts house prices and rent up and makes it more difficult for people to own their home either personally or through co-operative housing.

The council allows property development companies to throw up hundreds of one bedroom apartments for maximum profit and then lets them buy out of the social housing obligations and market the ‘homes’ at London’s overspill.

This kind of approach does not serve the interests of anyone but the developers, the bankers and the far right! Cambridge needs family and community homes that are well designed and well built with good transport, social spaces and amenities.

Our local elected representatives must campaign for more council housing as part of a city wide plan not make excuses for the pro market ideologies that create these housing conditions. They will however write to this page claiming that central governments don’t give them any money to build council housing and that the planning committee is not to cast political judgement. Well what do our councillors do? They should shout a little louder for public housing or it is their own hands they have tied.

Labels: Local Respect, No Fire Cuts, Oakington/Immigration, Unite/Anti Racism