I wonder if Councillor Brian Oxley has made the connection between the report concerning the significant homelessness problems in Brighton and Hove and his defending the sale of council housing (Letters, October 23)?

Does Coun Oxley suffer from goldfish memory syndrome or is he ignoring the role his party played in contributing to the rise in homelessness?

Although the sale of council houses is not the only reason for the increase in homelessness, there can be little doubt the loss of thousands of affordable rented council houses nationally has been a significant contributory factor since the Conservatives introduced this policy in the Eighties.

The Tories' laissez-faire approach to housing combined with the loss of this stock led to a reliance on private-sector rented accommodation, the demand for which a minority of unscrupulous landlords exploited by pushing up rents beyond the level many tenants could afford.

Now many landlords are cashing in on the housing boom by selling their properties, so leading to a reduction of available housing stock in the private sector.

If Coun Oxley really wishes to help tackle homelessness, he could start by reversing the Conservative group's opposition to ensuring new developments contain a minimum of 40 per cent affordable housing.

However, I suspect his "concerns" are merely cosmetic and more to do with the Tories' wish to lose their well-deserved reputation as the "Nasty Party" before next May rather than effectively tackling homelessness.

-Craig Turton, Dean Gardens, Portslade