For as long as most people can remember, Oxford has suffered a chronic housing shortage.

The Tories tried their best when they were in control of the city council, Labour has had a crack at it and now the Liberal Democrats are wrestling with the problem.

The crisis shows no sign of easing, and is as bad, if not worse, than it has ever been.

Latest figures show that even the most vulnerable families on the register face a wait of up to five years for a council home.

With 5,000 on the waiting list and only 450 homes becoming available every year, the council has a blunt message for many of those living in hope - you have no chance whatsoever.

Oxford has long been recognised as having the worst homelessness problem in the country, beaten only by inner London.

The city council hopes to seek the help of landlords in the private sector to bring hope to at least some people, who have been waiting patiently for help.

But such initiatives will do no more than tinker with the problem.

No-one seems to have a clue how to produce anything approaching a solution.

It has been a sorry story of failure by politicians of all parties.