You highlight the shame of the city housing waiting lists (Oxford Mail, April 2).

It is indeed appalling that families in need should have to wait so long, but the words 'waiting list' are very misleading.

To my amazement, I discovered when I became a district councillor that the amount of time you wait does not count towards you getting a home.

In other words, the waiting list does not act, as one would think, like a queue.

Since legislation in the 1960s, homes have been given to the people with the most points, and points are allocated on the basis of strict categories of need - for example, overcrowding and medical problems.

No-one would disagree that people with these problems should have points, but I would argue that waiting is also a kind of need and should attract points.

As it stands, a family waiting for five years with, say, 10 points could be pipped at the post by a family only just on the list with 11 points - this is surely against all natural justice.

When I proposed to West Oxfordshire District Council the allocation of one point for each year of waiting, the Conservative majority threw it out on the grounds that it was against national legislation, but also that it was "too complicated".

We should all unite behind this simple proposal and at least attempt to change the legislation in the cause of natural justice.

Glena Chadwick (Councillor), Liberal Democrat West Oxfordshire District Council