Councillor Robert Payne writes with an update on this week’s tenants forum meeting.

I’ve just been to the meeting of the Tenants’ Forum, listening to some of the concerns of tenants in private rented accommodation. There is a particularly large amount of private rented accommodation in central Weston. Some landlords are good, but far too many are terrible, and we need a much tougher housing strategy to protect people, and to ensure that everyone has a decent home.

These are a few of things we need:

• an increase in the rate of affordable homebuilding, including new council housing for rent;

• all homes to be of the highest quality, and supported by all the necessary services and infrastructure;

• consideration of a local living rent to support those renting their homes;

• a compulsory licensing scheme for landlords to improve standards and drive out rogue landlords.