You must live in Basildon for seven years to get a council home

Tory deputy council leader Phil Turner today launched a public consultation on plans for the strict new “local homes for local people” policy.

If it goes ahead, from some time next year about half the 5,462 people on the list for social housing could be taken out of the running.

Under the proposals, only applicants with a local connection going back seven years will be allowed on the waiting list for a home.

Officials reckon only about half those on the present waiting list would stand a chance of staying on the list under the scheme.

Mr Turner, who is also councillor responsible for housing, said: “We want Basildon homes for Basildon people.

“This allocations scheme aims to do that by rewarding working borough families with homes, so they can stay close to their loved ones.

“Some councils appear to give priority to housing those from outside of their borders. Our new scheme will bring fairness and simplicity to the system by prioritising those who live in the borough ahead of those who don’t.”

Mr Turner said he had originally hoped to make the scheme even stricter – with would-be tenants having to prove their connections went back as much as 20 years.

Officials had persuaded him to reduce the qualifying period, but still, the seven-year-rule would make Basildon’s one of the toughest policies around.

Southend Council now expects would-be tenants to have a three year connection before they can go on the register.

The policy would have some exceptions, with past and serving Armed Forces personnel and as people working and volunteering in the borough getting g a chance to jump the queue.

The council is writing to everyone on the waiting list, seeking their views on the new scheme.

A special edition of the council’s Housing News tenants’s newspaper will also carry details of the scheme.

Details will also be available on a web page which is due to go live today at basildon.gov .uk/housingalloc