THERE have been two reports in the Oxford Mail recently, on the progression of the ‘Oxford City Housing Company’, which was started with £60m of council tax money.

The Oxford Housing Company has already purchased five homes for council rent.

The Oxford Housing Company is a noble idea, but it is essential that the Oxford Housing Company and its paid directors are held to account.

The Oxford City Housing Company is a private company, wholly owned by Oxford City Council; with paid directors, who are also officers of the city council.

There is insufficient tenant representation on the board of the Oxford Housing Company and this is a serious defect, bearing in mind that the social housing planned for the Westgate development was cancelled due to a request from the corporate builders.

This example indicates that the city council’s officers are overly responsive to corporate profits over and above the council’s own social housing policy.

The Oxford Housing Company needs a greater percentage of directors that will be a champion for tenants.

Developers are keen to reduce the percentage of social housing they are contracted to build as social housing construction reduces the developer’s profits – this has occurred with the Westgate and Barton developments.

The people of Oxford need to ensure that the Oxford Housing Company’s directors are accountable and responsive to Oxford’s housing need over and above corporate greed and developers’ constant demands to reduce the percentage of social housing construction.

CHAKA ARTWELL Barton