HOUSING bosses have made reassurances that local people will get higher priority for social housing in Ryedale.

A points system is to be introduced to assesses prospective tenants.

The council's overview and scrutiny committee was told there is a housing waiting list of 1,500.

"Demand far outweighs supply," said Roy Wallington, of the Ryedale Housing Association's parent organisation, Yorkshire Housing.

He urged councillors to increase social housing through planning regulations, by demanding a certain percentage of new homes are affordable.