Council houses were built at a rate never before experienced, and the "Parker Morris" standard ensured that size and quality would not create the slums of the future.

Probably demand always outstripped supply but, I know for my mum and me, when we were allocated a council flat when I was 15 it was "heaven."

But times changed. Buying, rather than renting, became the norm for those who could afford it and was encouraged by tax relief and other incentives.

But the underlying fact was that many, throughout the eighties, found it difficult to access housing and here in Hastings the problem still remains today.

In Hastings Borough alone there are 1,200 families awaiting re-housing (not all homeless of course, but all living in inadequate accommodation). We also have some 800 dwellings (mostly flats, it must be said) that have been empty for more than six months and, whilst that compares with 1,400 such units just four years ago, it is clearly too many.

Clearly we need still to build new homes and, in the South East, I do accept that puts pressure on Greenfield sites. That's why we should always look first to using what we have. I think that landlords that leave property empty for more than six months should be subject to compulsory purchase orders from the Council or, at the very least, a requirement that they lease their properties to the Council or housing associations to bring the properties back into use.

I also think that, for homeowners who get into difficulties, that housing associations should negotiate a rent/buy arrangements which, at least, would prevent unnecessary homelessness and added numbers on the housing list.

"Homes for all" should be our ambition in 2008 as it was in 1945. Where we can buy, or part-buy, that's great but, for those that can't, we need to do much better.