Lib Dems welcome new deal on council housing

Woking Lib Dems welcome the Coalition Government's new deal on council housing. Under this new deal, local councils like Woking will be allowed to keep their tenants' rents - and the money they make from selling council houses - instead of having to hand over much of this cash to Whitehall. It could free up funds for repairs and, possibly, new council houses.

Lib Dem Housing spokesman, Cllr Denzil Coulson said:

"The Coalition government is delivering on a major Lib Dem manifesto commitment.

We've campaigned for a fairer system for years.

"This is a tremendous opportunity to improve things in the long term. At last we will be able to keep money from rents and right-to-buy sales and use it for the benefit of people in Woking who need it.

"For years councils have railed against Labour's "tenant tax" and the rule - a relic of Mrs Thatcher's time in office - that sales receipts could not be spent on building new council houses. Three-quarters of right-to-buy sale proceeds - many millions of pounds some years - has to be handed over to Whitehall."