AT long last, and after many years of pushing it, housing is near the top of the political agenda. Unfortunately it ends there as our Government continue to tinker at the edges rather than deal with the big issue - affordability!

One of the best ways to deal with the shortage of homes and burst the price bubble is to build more council houses.

I know that this would involve a lot of extra borrowing, but the payback is huge.

Firstly you would start to find affordable homes for the many who will get nowhere near being able to buy.

You start to reduce the huge housing benefit bill as it no longer lines the pockets of landlords, some of whom are building huge property portfolios off the back of hard pressed tenants and tax payers, and you might even improve productivity as you have a properly housed and secure population able to make longer term plans and buy furniture etc. (which we still make in the UK!).

As far as affordability elsewhere, council housing would make buying to let less lucrative, ease demand as it kicks in, and help restore the balance that existed prior to the 1980s where people on real world wages stood a fair chance of buying if they saved and scrimped a bit.

Nowadays the price to wage ratio is something like 10 to 1, whereas back in the days of affordable options it was 3 or 4 to 1, and grossly expensive private rental removes the ability for most young people to save.

These changes wouldn't kick in overnight, but in conjunction with other measures would start to make a difference quite quickly.

Though I welcome the ability for councils to charge up to a 100% premium on empty properties, we need a "New Zealand" type arrangement where only those who have lived and worked in the country for, say, five years can buy a property, and buying for investment (a scourge in places like London) is not an option.

TONY TRENT

Fraser Road, Poole