NO-ONE in Oxford needs reminding that house prices and private rents in the city are out of the reach of most ordinary people.

Yet the Labour city council refuses to face up to the urgent need to find a way of promoting genuinely affordable private housing. Without this, we are faced with an inability to fill so many jobs vital to the wellbeing and success of our city: nurses, teachers, university researchers, social workers, to name but a few. City planners probably fall into this category too.

Of course we need more social housing for those unable to afford private rents or house prices, but the city council should be prioritising the provision of more affordable private property for local residents, workers and senior citizens.

As well as traditional house builders and building, we should also be promoting self-build, community land trusts and shared ownership wherever we can, which will genuinely increase the supply of affordable homes people can buy.

We proposed a motion at the city council meeting on December 5 which sought to rebalance the situation. Sadly Labour and Green councillors disagreed and insisted that the need for social housing should be the top priority. We will not have a sustainable, balanced, let alone a ‘world-class’ city if we do not address the urgent need for a full range of housing opportunities.

There are models we could follow for low-cost, permanently affordable housing – they do not meet current city policies, so let’s review the policies as fast as we can and even consider allowing applications that are exceptions to current policy in the face of exceptional need.

CLLR ANDREW GANT

CLLR JEAN FOOKS

Liberal Democrat councillors for Summertown