Improving our local community, economy and social housing stock are vital aims set against a backdrop of increasing austerity. However, local residents must be consulted and concerns linger about the affordability of homes, bidding process and financial risks to the council. I urge the Cabinet to pause to gain greater buy-in from residents on a number of important issues around the decision, including the lack of genuinely affordable housing as well as the potential impact on small businesses that may occur from having a private company own 50 per cent of their freehold.

A link to my previous correspondence with the Council can be found by clicking here.

An article I wrote for Inside Housing on the issue can be found here.