"At a time when public money is being made scarce by
the government it beggars belief that the Coalition are increasing the subsidy
on the sale of Council Housing to up to £75000. At a time when we need more
social housing to give people an option to have an affordable home to rent it
is crazy that we are selling off into private ownership much valued public
assets." Said Councillor Andrew Cooper , Chair of the Association of Green
Councillors
"What is bizarre is that the government supposedly
believes in 'choice' in education and in the provision of health care. Though
the Green Party does not share the coalitions enthusiasm for the privatisation
of health and education it would at least be consistent if they also promoted
choice in tenure of housing. The coalition seems to believe that owner
occupation or private renting are the only options that should be available to
households. One of the fundamental lessons the economic crisis we are facing
should teach us is that saddling households with years of mortgage debt they
cannot afford is nonsensical" , said Councillor Cooper
The Greens also accused the Coalition of hypocrisy by
spending public money on a 'national helpline' for providing information about
the sale of council houses when that service is already provided by Councils.
"This is a duplication of an existing function and another waste of public
money by a government that is imposing austerity on the public sector."
Councillor Cooper also highlighted the possibility of
abuse of the Right to Buy mechanism for personal gain by
"The sale of council housing has been and is open to
widescale abuse with relatives of tenants and unscrupulous individuals seeking
to purchase council houses through the tenants 'by the back door'. These can
then be sold on at a profit and therefore at the expense of the public
purse," said Councillor Cooper
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