Sir -- Why is it that there are so many boarded-up properties in Oxford? There are thousands of people on the council housing waiting list, a huge shortage of affordable homes and seemingly no quick fix. Every boarded-up home is a property not being allocated, and a person or family forced to live in unsuitable accommodation, or worse, homeless.
The city council loses around £700,000 a year in rent and some houses are left empty for 30-40 weeks. The housing scrutiny committee, of which I am a member, is trying to find a solution, but until the Labour administration recognises the scale of the problem, there is little we can do.
So I repeat what I asked in a recent council meeting -- will the portfolio holder, Ed Turner, apologise for the shocking performance of the council in getting properties ready for tenants and letting them?
PATRICK MURRAY (Councillor)
Barton and Sandhills Ward
Lib Dem housing spokesman
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