THE Oxford Mail reports (February 3) the great news that Oxford City Council will transfer ownership of five of its Oxford houses to Oxford City Council’s new Oxford Housing Company.

The new Oxford Housing Company is Oxford City Council’s assistance to the thousands of Oxford people whose income, even on Oxford’s Living Wage, is insufficient for them to purchase a home in Oxford.

This is a wonderful initiative from the city councillors and long overdue. Oxford is in the top three cities for high rents and house prices; few should begrudge Oxford City Council transferring these five houses to the Oxford Housing Company for £750,000, which is well below the market price, as the aim of the Oxford Housing Company is noble and this remedy is desperately needed.

I am sure the thousands of Oxford people dependent on the Oxford Living Wage or the minimum wage and who are trapped in high rental accommodation, will be writing to their city councillors to encourage the councillors to support the Oxford Housing Company with the transfer of many more houses, as this is one solution to the unsustainable housing apartheid that is increasingly cleansing working people from being able to live within the city of Oxford.

CHAKA ARTWELL

Barton, Oxford