HOUSING tenants from Caradon have taken their fight to Westminster to campaign for extra funding for council housing.

John Bailey, Pat Jago, Lesley Carty, Billy Hillson and Alfie Hillson from the Caradon Tenants' Forum left for London on Wednesday to provide evidence to the House of Commons' Council Housing Group Inquiry on the need for the whole of council housing rents to be spent on local housing stocks.

More than 200 tenants, councillors, officers and trade unionists from across the country took part in the inquiry.

Caradon District councillor Jim Candy and Tania Horrocks, Caradon's community development officer, accompanied the tenants.

The group also met with MP for South East Cornwall Colin Breed to discuss the housing subsidy issue and the Early Day Motion on building more council housing.

Council tenants argued that their rent should be used to improve council housing within the district, not taken by the Government.

Currently the Government takes more than £3 million every year from council rents in Caradon.

John Bailey, chairman of the Caradon Tenants' Forum led the delegation. He said: "Most people don't realise that council housing is funded solely by council tenants' rents.

"In Caradon, those rents total around £10.5 million a year, but instead of allowing all of the money to be reinvested in maintaining and improving local council houses the Government claws back more than £3 million annually from local tenants.

"That's £16.50 a week per council tenant household in the Caradon area.

"Reinvesting that money in local council housing wouldn't just benefit tenants.

"It would also bring much needed work for tradesmen and businesses in South East Cornwall and help to counter some of the effects of the recession."

Since 1990 government has imposed a regime of 'negative subsidy' on local council housing revenue accounts. Councils raise £6 billion nationally in guideline rents.

The Government allows them to keep £1.5 billion for major repairs allowance and £3.1 billion for management and maintenance allowances, leaving a gap of £1.4 billion clawed back by government.

Mr Breed said: "Successive governments have failed to invest in council housing and this needs to change.

"Further investment in council housing is desperately needed now, and that £3 million could be better spent here in Caradon.

"Not only could we improve the energy efficiency of our existing stock, but we could invest in new building stock as part of the mix of urgent housing requirements."

Councillor Jim Candy added: "I was pleased to support the tenants in this campaign, and to arrange the meeting in the House of Commons with Colin Breed.

"Hopefully the Government will listen to the evidence made on the day."