I WOULD like to respond to Mrs I Palmer on the subject of under-occupancy of council houses.

This administration has inherited some households that are underoccupying family properties.

However, as they are secure tenants they have the legal right to occupy the property they are in and the council cannot force them to move.

Mrs Palmer is clearly a very civic minded person who has put the needs of the wider community ahead of her own and I applaud that.

In order to address this problem, we are about to pilot an incentive scheme to encourage tenants in this situation to move to smaller non-family accommodation.

Similar schemes have been tried in other areas of the country with varying degrees of success.

This initiative has been discussed with tenants' groups and I expect that the scheme will be a launched in the next few months.

(Coun) D RENARD

Cabinet Member for Housing

Swindon Council