Welsh council backs moves to suspend Right to Buy
Isle of Anglesey County Council has approved plans to suspend the Right to Buy scheme for five years in order to protect affordable rented housing.
The council, one of 11 Welsh authorities that still retain housing stock, has also given the green light to proposals to build at least 500 new homes over the next 30 years.
The authority currently owns and manages around 3,800 homes on the island. Around 3,100 council homes have been sold under the Right to Buy since it was first introduced in the 1980s.
A consultation with council tenants showed 72 per cent thought suspending Right to Buy would be a positive step in increasing the supply of affordable rented housing.
The council will now apply to the Welsh Government for a suspension of five years. Swansea and Carmarthenshire councils have already successfully applied to halt Right to Buy sales.
Shan Lloyd Williams, head of housing services, said: “It is common knowledge that there is a shortage of affordable housing across Wales and the rest of the UK. Every property sold by the county council through its Right to Buy scheme reduces our ability to provide affordable social housing to meet local need.”
Cllr Aled Morris Jones, housing portfolio holder, added: “With housing matters in Wales devolved, the Welsh Government is offering Local Authorities the opportunity to submit a voluntary application to suspend tenants’ Right to Buy for a period of five years.
“Our aim is to increase the number of affordable rented properties on the island and we now hope that our application will be successful. A suspension would certainly help us meet the growing demand for affordable rented housing and bolster our housing stock on Anglesey.”