FORMER city and county councillor Craig Simmons said it was appalling for flats at East Oxford Health Centre to be left empty for three years (Oxford Mail, May 21).

What I and, I’m sure, many homeless people will find even more appalling is the fact that he waited until he was no longer a councillor before he spoke out.

I’ve written letters to the Oxford Mail for years about houses owned by the council which have been left empty. And each time the council and councillors have totally ignored both the empty houses and my letters.

Two such houses are in Oxford Road, Horspath, at the entrance to the running track. They’ve been empty for far longer than three years and are still empty.

My question to those who keep talking about building in the Green Belt, Craig Simmons and the council is: why not use the properties you already have before spending taxpayers’ money building new houses in areas which may not be suitable?

Keith Brooks, Gateley, Horspath