RE your story, “Council tenancies warning to Tories” (Echo, Aug 5).

Fortunately, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes fired a warning shot that David Cameron’s suggestion of imposing fixed-term contracts on social housing tenants – so they could be moved on after five or ten years if their circumstances change – did not represent the policy of either the coalition or the Lib Dems.

The Prime Minister stated the idea would only apply to new tenancies, but this should be a particular cause for concern for Stockton Borough Council’s 10,500 tenants.

If the proposed transfer of ownership from the council to a housing association is completed, all tenants will become new tenants.

Also, with ever-increasing homelessness in the UK, I suggest that Mr Cameron prioritise the unfreezing of 160 social housing building plans – including 11 schemes in the North-East (Echo, also Aug 5) – throughout the country.

The Prime Minister has the opportunity to prove that his pre-election expressions of concern for the poorest and most vulnerable people in our society were not just expulsions of hot air.

Keith Dewison, Billingham.

WHEN are we going to stop using the euphemism “affordable housing”? All housing is affordable to someone, or it wouldn’t be built.

What they mean is tiny, cheap boxes for fairly poor people. The real poor still can’t afford them.

What we need is rented housing and the removal of the “right to buy” as I am sure the first time they are sold the price will be at full market value.

How many people who have bought their council houses have sold them on at the discount price so that young people could enjoy what they have had? How many residents of villages have refused the huge sums offered by outsiders for their discounted council house in order that local children could stay in the place of their birth?

And I am sure these new residents are not going to vote for more housing to be built near them just to house those who, in their opinion, would spoil the peace and tranquillity they seek on the odd weekend they visit.

Good heavens, according to some reports I have read in the papers, they even object to cockerels and tractors waking them up.

Tom Cooper, Durham.