Over many, many years first as a tenant representatvie then as a councillor I have seen many varying systems for allocating housing, and I am bound to say none of them have been fair. The problem always has, and I think will be, (apart form the obvious chronic shortage of 'social' housing) the fact that any system that gives a slight advantage to someone automatically disadvantages someone else. When we had the awful points system the goal posts forever moved, so just as people thought they'd got the required number of points for a move at last - the rules changed and off we went again. Until the Government finally gets it act together and allows building of genuinely affordable housing on a huge scale I don't think things will change much. The biggest mistake of the lot was 'Right to Buy', not in it's aim but by not allowing the money from the sales to be re-invested by councils to build more either for rent or sale, it's something that we never seem to have recovered from. Interestingly I think the last 'social housing' in this area was that built on Worton Estate, and look at the fuss that caused...........
Vanessa Smith ● 6532d