A district’s labour leader has called for action to tackle the ‘Tory Backlog’ on housing.

At a meeting of full council on Monday July 18, the leader of the Labour group on Cherwell District Council, Councillor Sean Woodcock called 50 per cent of housing at new build sites to be set aside for affordable housing.

He put this in contrast to recently confirmed plans to encourage local housing applicants to consider moving out of the area to find more affordable accommodation.

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Mr Woodcock said: “Since 2013, the number of people on this authority’s housing waiting list has increased fourfold to nearly 2000.

“Yet despite intensive housing development across the district, we’ve seen only seven homes come up for social rent, and be built, in the last six years.”

He then asked Councillor wood if he was proud of this record.

Mr Wood responded by saying: “No. There is definitely a piece of work to do in respect of housing to be promoted under social rent as opposed to a reduced market rent or shared ownership.

“There is a gap in that, and we do need to look at it. It may be that it is a matter we can put on the scrutiny committee forward plan.”

Mr Woodcock also pointed to the reduced number of private sector landlords, being used for housing applicants, despite the proliferation of houses to let on new developments.

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1

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