CLLR Mrs Isabel Cummings, North Somerset's executive member for housing, was quoted in last week's front page article and she remarked that my comments were nonsense but she gave no reasons for her outburst. One of the problems that besets truly local pe

CLLR Mrs Isabel Cummings, North Somerset's executive member for housing, was quoted in last week's front page article and she remarked that my comments were nonsense but she gave no reasons for her outburst. One of the problems that besets truly local people from acquiring former council houses, now run by housing associations, is the 'allocation policy' which by and large favours families and individuals from outside the authority. Truly local people once having proved they have lived in the authority for many years should be entitled to extra points giving them a clear advantage over families that descend on the council from outside the authority claiming they are homeless. These largely irresponsible families are put in emergency accommodation for up to six months at the end of which they are deemed to have a 'local connection' by social services. This means they will score more points than North Somerset people because they are classed as homeless and they also qualify as having a local connection, and score more points yet again. If they have a drug problem then they are likely to be in receipt of incapacity benefit, a medical condition which will entitle them to even more points. Sixty five per cent of North Somerset Council funding comes from the local charge payer who I feel certain would wish that some of that money is used to help North Somerset people, people that they work with, socialise with, are perhaps neighbours, or family and friends. Surely it is wrong that we are housing other authority's problem families and diluting the community spirit and quality of life on our housing estates by importing in many cases, families from hell. I therefore plead on behalf of all residents of North Somerset for Cllr Cummings to change the Liberal Democrat allocation policy and resolve these injustices once and for all.CLLR PETER BRYANTVia e-mail